Monday, October 8, 2007

"Sick" By Shel Silverstein

'I cannot go to school today, '
Said little Peggy Ann McKay.
'I have the measles and the mumps,
A gash, a rash and purple bumps.
My mouth is wet, my throat is dry,
I'm going blind in my right eye.
My tonsils are as big as rocks,
I've counted sixteen chicken pox
And there's one more-that's seventeen,
And don't you think my face looks green?
My leg is cut-my eyes are blue-
It might be instamatic flu.
I cough and sneeze and gasp and choke,
I'm sure that my left leg is broke-
My hip hurts when I move my chin,
My belly button's caving in,
My back is wrenched, my ankle's sprained,
My 'pendix pains each time it rains.
My nose is cold, my toes are numb.
I have a sliver in my thumb.
My neck is stiff, my voice is weak,
I hardly whisper when I speak.
My tongue is filling up my mouth,
I think my hair is falling out.
My elbow's bent, my spine ain't straight,
My temperature is one-o-eight.
My brain is shrunk, I cannot hear,
There is a hole inside my ear.
I have a hangnail, and my heart is-what?
What's that? What's that you say?
You say today is...Saturday?
G'bye, I'm going out to play! '


I love this poem because of the way it is written. When reading it you feel as if it is truly a young child speaking. It's a poem that has the ability to bring back the child within you. You can't help but wonder if you ever sounded like this when attempting to fake sick. I love at the end when this the little child finds out it is Saturday. It's funny because all that effort to stay home from school and then to find out it is a weekend, it makes you smile! Some of the excuses used are so funny, it just makes the poem interesting to read and more enjoyable!




15 comments:

lyndsey said...

You're thoughts on the poem are the exact things I was thinking.
I'm pretty sure we've all used most of those excuses once or twice.

Conscious!? said...

ha i like this,it reminds me of the one time i faked sick i was so bad i never tryed it again..its diffrent with a twist at the end :)

catey said...

great ;)

catey said...

great

Katie said...

I love love love this poem! I preformed it in drama class at school!

Unknown said...
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Unknown said...

I love this poem! I use it as an opener and my students LOVE IT! I have the students speak and repeat the word "sick" in a low unison voice. I begin to read the poem while they are still saying the word. At the last three lines, I have them stop and I say the ending. I'm very animated using different types of voices to go along with the poem. They usually erupt with WOW comments, applause... "can we do that again?" "That was fun!" I love teaching poetry! :) Middle School gr7. This gets them motivated for writing poetry and the creative element is so strong,it even wakes up the reluctant writers. :)

cc said...

Ive been loving this poem since I can remember...it brings so many memories of me and my twin trying to ditch school. We'd make every excuse in the book as if we both got magically sick..unfortunatly we never mistaking Saturday for friday..but we did mistake monday for sunday lol..the poem brings the happy memories out of me..best poem ever

Unknown said...

I learned this entire poem in 3rd grade I am 33 yrs old now and I still smile everytime i read it. I even taught it to my children and they love it also.

Unknown said...

I learned this entire poem in 3rd grade I am 33 yrs old now and I still smile everytime i read it. I even taught it to my children and they love it also.

Unknown said...

I learned this entire poem in 3rd grade I am 33 yrs old now and I still smile everytime i read it. I even taught it to my children and they love it also.

Unknown said...

Awesome I am in love with this poem

Unknown said...
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Unknown said...

how funny is that?l cant stop laugh.

Unknown said...

Wow