25 Where the Sidewalk Ends Quotes by Shel Silverstein

Shel Silverstein’s poem “Where the Sidewalk Ends” was originally published in 1974.

The poem describes the place where the sidewalk ends and the street starts, as well as the experiences that are waiting beyond that point.

Below you will find great quotes from Where the Sidewalk Ends by Shel Silverstein.

Where the Sidewalk Ends Quotes by Shel Silverstein

“It’s amazing the difference
A bit of sky can make.” ~ Shel Silverstein (Where the Sidewalk Ends).

“And all the colors I am inside have not been invented yet.” ~ Shel Silverstein (Where the Sidewalk Ends).

“He wasted his wishes on wishing.” ~ Shel Silverstein (Where the Sidewalk Ends).

“So I’m all of love that could make it today.” ~ Shel Silverstein (Where the Sidewalk Ends).

“If the track is tough and the hill is rough, THINKING you can just ain’t enough!” ~ Shel Silverstein (Where the Sidewalk Ends).

“But all the magic I have known I’ve had to make myself.” ~ Shel Silverstein (Where the Sidewalk Ends).

“If you are a dreamer, come in” ~ Shel Silverstein (Where the Sidewalk Ends).

“My skin is kind of sort of brownish pinkish yellowish white. My eyes are greyish blueish green, but I’m told they look orange in the night. My hair is reddish blondish brown, but its silver when its wet, and all the colors I am inside have not been invented yet.” ~ Shel Silverstein (Where the Sidewalk Ends).

“Eddie touched a troll” ~ Shel Silverstein (Where the Sidewalk Ends).

Quotes from Where the Sidewalk Ends

“But all the magic I have known I’ve had to make myself.” ~ Shel Silverstein (Where the Sidewalk Ends).

“THE ONE WHO STAYED
You should have heard the old men cry,
You should have heard the biddies
When that sad stranger raised his flute
And piped away the kiddies.
Katy, Tommy, Meg and Bob
Followed, skipped gaily,
Red-haired Ruth, my brother Rob,
And little crippled Bailey,
John and Nils and Cousin Claire,
Dancin’, spinnin’, turnin’,
‘Cross the hills to God knows where-
They never came returnin’.
‘Cross the hills to God knows where
The piper pranced, a leadin’
Each child in Hamlin Town but me,
And I stayed home unheedin’.
My papa says that I was blest
For if that music found me,
I’d be witch-cast like all the rest.
This town grows old around me.
I cannot say I did not hear
That sound so haunting hollow-
I heard, I heard, I heard it clear…
I was afraid to follow.”~ Shel Silverstein (Where the Sidewalk Ends).

“RAIN
I opened my eyes
And looked up at the rain.
And it dripped in my head
And flowed into my brain,
And all that I hear as I lie in my bed
Is the slishity-slosh of the rain in my head.
I step very softly,
I walk very slow,
I can’t do a handstand-
I might overflow,
So pardon the wild crazy thing I just said-
I’m just not the same since there’s rain in my head.” ~ Shel Silverstein (Where the Sidewalk Ends).

There is a place where the sidewalk ends
And before the street begins,
And there the grass grows soft and white,
And there the sun burns crimson bright,
And there the moon-bird rests from his flight
To cool in the peppermint wind.
Let us leave this place where the smoke blows black
And the dark street winds and bends.
Past the pits where the asphalt flowers grow
We shall walk with a walk that is measured and slow,
And watch where the chalk-white arrows go
To the place where the sidewalk ends.”
~ Shel Silverstein (Where the Sidewalk Ends).

Long Quotes from Where the Sidewalk Ends

“SMART
My dad gave me one dollar bill
‘Cause I’m his smartest son,
And I swapped it for two shiny quarters
‘Cause two is more than one!
And then I took the quarters
And traded them to Lou
For three dimes – I guess he don’t know
That three is more than two!
Just then, along came old blind Bates
And just ’cause he can’t see
He gave me four nickels for my three dimes,
And four is more than three!
And I took the nickels to Hiram Coombs
Down at the seed-feed store,
And the fool gave me five pennies for them,
And five is more than four!
And then I went and showed my dad,
And he got red in the cheeks
And closed his eyes and shook his head –
Too proud of me to speak!” ~ Shel Silverstein (Where the Sidewalk Ends).

“There is a place where the sidewalk ends.” ~ Shel Silverstein (Where the Sidewalk Ends).

“I opened my eyes
And looked up at the rain,
And it dripped in my head
And flowed into my brain,
And all that I hear as I lie in my bed
Is the slishity-slosh of the rain in my head.
I step very softly,
I walk very slow,
I can’t do a handstand–
I might overflow,
So pardon the wild crazy thing I just said–
I’m just not the same since there’s rain in my head.” ~ Shel Silverstein (Where the Sidewalk Ends).

“This boat that we just built is just fine –
And don’t try to tell us it’s not
The sides and the back are divine –
It’s the bottom I guess we forgot” ~ Shel Silverstein (Where the Sidewalk Ends).

“If you want to marry me, here’s what you’ll have to do:
You must learn how to make a perfect chicken-dumpling stew.
And you must sew my holey socks,
And soothe my troubled mind,
And develop the knack for scratching my back,
And keep my shoes spotlessly shined.
And while I rest you must rake up the leaves,
And when it is hailing and snowing
You must shovel the walk…and be still when I talk,
And-hey-where are you going?” ~ Shel Silverstein (Where the Sidewalk Ends).

“Listen to the MUSTN’TS, child,
Listen to the DON’TS
Listen to the SHOULDN’TS
The IMPOSSIBLES, the WON’TS
Listen to the NEVER HAVES
Then listen close to me—
Anything can happen, child,
ANYTHING can be.” ~ Shel Silverstein (Where the Sidewalk Ends).

Lovely Where the Sidewalk Ends Quotes

“Let us leave this place where the smoke blows black And the dark street winds and bends.
Past the pits where the asphalt flowers grow
We shall walk with a walk that is measured and slow,
And watch where the chalk-white arrows go
To the place where the sidewalk ends.” ~ Shel Silverstein (Where the Sidewalk Ends).

“If you were only one inch tall, you’d ride a worm to school.
The teardrop of a crying ant would be your swimming pool.
A crumb of cake would be a feast
And last you seven days at least,
A flea would be a frightening beast
If you were one inch tall.
If you were only one inch tall, you’d walk beneath the door,
And it would take about a month to get down to the store.
A bit of fluff would be your bed,
You’d swing upon a spider’s thread,
And wear a thimble on your head
If you were one inch tall.
You’d surf across the kitchen sink upon a stick of gum.
You couldn’t hug your mama, you’d just have to hug her thumb.
You’d run from people’s feet in fright,
To move a pen would take all night,
(This poem took fourteen years to write–
‘Cause I’m just one inch tall).” ~ Shel Silverstein (Where the Sidewalk Ends).

“Eighteen luscuios scrumpitous flavors,
Chocolate,Lime and Cherry
Coffee,Pumpkin, Fudge-Banana,
Caramel Cream and boysenberry.
Rocky Road and Toasted Almond,
Butterscotch,Vanilla Dip, Butter Brinkle,
Apple Ripple,Coconut,and Mocha Chip, Brandy Peach and Lemon Custard.
Each scoop lovely.smooth and round. Tallest cream cone in town lying there on the ground.” ~ Shel Silverstein (Where the Sidewalk Ends).

Magical Where the Sidewalk Ends Quotes

“Magic
Sandra’s seen a leprechaun,
Eddie touched a troll,
Laurie danced with witches once,
Charlie found some goblins gold.
Donald heard a mermaid sing,
Susy spied an elf,
But all the magic I have known
I’ve had to make myself.” ~ Shel Silverstein (Where the Sidewalk Ends).

“There is a place where the sidewalk ends
And before the street begins,
And there the grass grows soft and white,
And there the sun burns crimson bright,
And there the moon-bird rests from his flight
To cool in the peppermint wind.
Let us leave this place where the smoke blows black
And the dark street winds and bends.
Past the pits where the asphalt flowers grow
We shall walk with a walk that is measured and slow,
And watch where the chalk-white arrows go
To the place where the sidewalk ends.
Yes we’ll walk with a walk that is measured and slow,
And we’ll go where the chalk-white arrows go,
For the children, they mark, and the children, they know
The place where the sidewalk ends.” ~ Shel Silverstein (Where the Sidewalk Ends).

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