SOURCE: Rosenfeld, Megan. “The Poet Laureate of Kids.” Washington Post (11 May 1999): C1, C7.

In the following essay, Rosenfeld discusses the popularity of Silverstein's books among children.

Capitol Hill Day School, where my daughter goes to school, held its annual Poetry Night a few weeks ago. The kids arrived lugging books of poems they wanted to read aloud—Edgar Allan Poe, Lewis Carroll. But there was one poet who popped up again and again, his popularity undimmed by time or repetition: Shel Silverstein.

Silverstein died yesterday at 66, of unknown causes and alone. It's hard to think of death in the same sentence as someone who wrote such delightfully lively and goofy poetry, verses illustrated with his own funny drawings. Silverstein was the poet laureate of kids. He wrote poems they understand:

“gardener”

                                                            We gave you a chance                                                             To water the plants                                                             We didn't mean that way—                                                             Now zip up...