Man Who Sang the Sillies

by John Ciardi

This collection of poems is in the same vein as those of Shel Silverstein: nonsensical, silly, and humorous.

Genres: Poetry, Picture Books, Childrens

Paperback

First published January 1, 1961

About the author

John Anthony Ciardi was an American poet, translator, editor, writer and etymologist.

Reviews

[Cheryl · Rating 2 out of 5]

Most of the poems are actually very long, often more than two pages, and I don't have the patience to read that much sustained nonsense. They don't seem to have any heart or substance underneath, nor do they roll of the tongue memorably. Reread Carroll, Nash, and Lear instead.

[Gina · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my favorite children's books, from when I was wee. It's out of print so I don't think John Ciardi would mind if I shared a couple of the shorter poems from it with you here.

THERE WAS AN OLD MAN

There was an old man, an old, old, old
A very old man was he, sir.
All day long he felt cold, cold, cold.
At night he felt like a freezer.


And this is an excerpt from
LOBSTER MUSIC (a poem about a lobster fisherman whose traps are made of fiddle strings)

"And that is why," he said with a sigh,
"When I drop my traps to the sea,
I like a song to cheer along
My pets. And you will agree
That it gets too hot when you're in the pot
For a proper melody.

So sing while you may, I always say,
And boil when you must, says I,
For a bit of song is never wrong
Though you're hoisted high and dry.
And I like a bit of tune I do
When Lobsters are on the way --
Boiled and buttered, or in a stew,
Or cold in a salad for lunch next day."

[Sem · Rating 5 out of 5]

Children's heads are very loose
Mother, Father, screw them tight.
If you feel uncertain use
A monkey wrench, but do it right.

If a head should come unscrewed
You will know that you have failed.
Doubtful cases should be glued
Stubborn cases should be nailed.

Then when all your darlings go
Sweetly screaming off to bed,
Mother, Father, you may know
Angels guard each little head.

Come the morning you will find
One by one each little head
Full of gentle thoughts and kind,
Sweetly screaming to be fed.


Marvellous illustrations by Gorey.

[Mary Applegate · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Man Who Sang the Sillies is one of my favorite books for children. I still have my childhood copy and have read many of the poems so many times to so many children that I can recite them by heart.

. . . . the Luckies are the Happies,
and the Happies are the Sillies,
and the Sillies are the sweetest that I know.

[Jon · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was the first book I ever owned. It was given to me by my Maternal Grandmother for my birth day inthe early 60’s. I was too young to read,or understand it, but I did appreciated later in life.

[Sarah G · Rating 4 out of 5]

As ever, an extra star for Edward Gorey (who still had a day job when he did this book).

[Brok3n · Rating 5 out of 5]

Seriously silly poems

I first knew of American poet John Ciardi through this book, The Man Who Sang the Sillies, which my mother read to us three kids. I was five years old when it was published in 1961, and I suppose she bought it new. Some time ago I wondered what Ciardi's serious poetry was like. I had read his translation of The Divine Comedy: The Inferno, the Purgatorio and the Paradiso. Aside from that, I was surprised to discover that much of his work was silly poetry for children, and also adults (for instance, the books of limericks he cowrote with Isaac Asimov).

I have read one or two reviews that claim that adults will be amused by The Man Who Sang the Sillies, but children will not. I have a counterargument.



That is our family copy, now sixty-three years old. As you can see, it has been through a lot, but it is still making kids laugh. Here's the inside front cover, showing marks of the affections of preliterate kids.



Here's an extract from "The Happy Family":

Children's heads are very loose.
Mother, Father, screw them tight.
If you feel uncertain use
A monkey wrench, but do it right.

If a head should come unscrewed
You will know that you have failed.
Doubtful cases should be glued.
Stubborn cases should be nailed.

Then when all your darlings go
Sweetly screaming off to bed,
Mother, Father, you may know
Angels guard each little head.

Come the morning you will find
One by one each little head
Full of gentle thoughts and kind,
Sweetly screaming to be fed.

When I was seven, I though that was pretty funny. I still think that.

The poems are accompanied by marvelous line drawings by Edward Gorey. I particularly like the drawings for "Children When They're Very Sweet".

Blog review.

[Joanne G. · Rating 4 out of 5]

This collection of poems is in the same vein as those of Shel Silverstein: nonsensical, silly, and humorous. Silverstein managed to see through children's eyes; Ciardi views children through the eyes of adults. Parents are more likely to enjoy his verse than the children for whom the poems were penned, but they will find favorites, too. Edward Gorey's illustrations are a perfect accompaniment and boosted my rating an additional star.

EVAN KIRK

Evan Kirk
Is looking for work
Work? What can he do?
He could milk a cow
If he just knew how.
He can almost buckle a shoe.

He can count to ten
Again and again
With hardly a real mistake.
He could drive a bus
If one of us
Would handle the wheel and the brake.

He can climb a chair
When no one's there
And reach where the cookies are.
He can catch you frogs
And pollywogs
At eleven cents a jar.

For a nickel a day
He will hammer away
At woodwork, walls, and doors.
Or for nothing at all
He will paint the hall
And nail down all your floors.

The little dear
Has been working here
A year--almost two.
And you couldn't foresee
How glad we'd be
To send him to work on you.

This was worth the purchase price of the book, as it recalled fond memories of my son writing on the garage and hammering nails through his father's good lumber.

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Sylvester" is a poem about a man who wrote a marriage proposal in a letter to Mary Lou, and it ended up going to a supposedly illiterate kangaroo who wants him to fulfill his word and marry her. This is a fun book of poetry for kids.

[Nicole Fellows · Rating 4 out of 5]

The poem "Some Cook!" is about a little boy who tried to cook a custard but it didn't turn out so great. I though it was really cute. Some of the poems in this book are a little long, but all the ones I read were fun. I think kids would really like it.

[Cindy Pardew]

Sylvester and There was a Hunter From Littletown

[Devin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sylvester

Thought it was pretty lame. Oh well.

[Carla Bonney · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a child this was my very most favoritest book EVER. I have many of the poems memorized and my daughter giggles (just like I remember doing) when I recite or read one to her.