Lessons for adults and children: A poem from Shel Silverstein.

Revisiting your childhood to additionally find a deeper adult lesson is oddly surreal and satisfying.

These moments are far greater than movie plot twists since they take periods longer to develop.

In the context of this writing, some even exist in Shel Silverstein’s work.

I’ve talked about Shel Silverstein before.

I’ve a few of his books on my shelf amidst other fairy tales and histories.

In “Everything On It,” my bookmark sits on a page with this poem:

Masks

She had blue skin,

and so did he,

He kept it hid,

and so did she.

They searched for blue

Their whole life through,

Then passed right by–-

And never knew.

As a kid, I must’ve gotten a chuckle out of this one.

Reason being: Two childlike figures, appearing to just have walked past each other, each wearing a mask of their face ten times their height.

Though, as I read it now 25 years grown, I can’t help but feel it being tinged with sadness.

Sadness because there’s beauty in its truth.

How often do we keep our honest selves hidden from others who keep their honest selves hidden?

Then they trodden off in hopes of crossing paths—even for a brief moment—with another who is them.

Would one want to know how many people they’ve passed that they’d love to know, speak to or be with but never took action?

Would that number bring resentment?

Fear?

Depression?

Or perhaps courage?

The courage to take action, using this poem as reason to be more open about your blue skin and reach out to others who you deem to have the same.

A poem like this, whose meaning now makes sense, was right under my nose for +15 years.

A great poem sits with you, aging gracefully with your spirt, molding your muse.

I like to think this one will.

— George