Where the Sidewalk Ends

The poem that I connected to was, Where the Sidewalk Ends  by Shel Silverstien. The first time I read Where the Sidewalk Ends the flow of the poem was like a rollercoaster ride, having its ups and down, twist and turns. Each stanza by itself read very clear and had its own sense of identity, but when read all together the poem became more complex. In the first stanza the rhythm was repetitious, “And before”, “And there”, “And there”. Not only repetitive but rheumatic, “soft and white”, “crimson bright”, “from his flight” a sense of peace. By the second stanza the mood of the poem completely changed, becoming dark and unpleasant. The third stanza slows down, summarizes tying the whole poem together. The more I read the poem the more meaning and depth of understanding. The first interpretation I thought that this was about destiny, life journey and the paths we take and the time you have before the end of the sidewalk representing death.

That was just the surface of it all, so I read it over again discovering that this could also mean loss of childhood, the childlike innocents. As a child you have the freedom of imagination, not a care in the world but as an adult you forget to take the time and enjoy life, being flooded with work, bills and life itself having responsibilities.
“And watch where the chalk-white arrows go”The sidewalk itself was a character; sidewalks have limitations, boundaries, bumps, and cracks. No matter how free we think we are, there is an intangible boundry we create ourselves.
“Yes we'll walk with a walk that is measured and slow”I took that as Silverstein saying we all have a journey but it is what you make of yours.