My favorite poet is probably Shel Silverstein. He was a person who wore many hats as an artist, his artistic credits include being a poet, playwright, novelist and cartoonist. He never seemed to run dry of inspiration and it was proabably due to the fact that he simply created his own style, using the things he saw and combining them with his imagination. He is appealing to me because the poems he wrote are not bound by and any subject. Another one of Shel Silverstein’s great literary characteristics is probably the rhythm of his poems. The rhyme scheme is crafted such that the lines are intensified as the reader reads on. As one reads the poem by him, one can feel the words and rhythm seem to speed up and come to a boil. Finally, when the reader feels an explosive moment is about to occur, Shel throws in huge twist to the story that the poem is telling.
Shel Silverstein did not always write poems for kids. In some cases, they were graphic, moving, picturesque, slices of life. These were meant for the adult audiences to enjoy. Much of the time, these poems kept a steady beat the whole time.
By reading his works, I can feel that Shel Silverstein has been trying to remind readers that poetry can be fun and easy, and still deliver the same amount of enjoyment again and again, and will continue to do so through its timeless and ageless appeal.