While walking to work this morning, some rain dripped into my ear, and the slight discomfort reminded me of a poem by Sheldon Alan ‘Shel’ Silverstein (1930-1999), poet, singer-songwriter, musician, composer, cartoonist, screenwriter, and author of children’s books…

Where the Sidewalk Ends Shel SilversteinRain

I opened my eyes
And looked up at the rain,
And it dripped in my head
And flowed into my brain,
And all that I hear as I lie in my bed
Is the slishity-slosh of the rain in my head.

I step very softly,
I walk very slow,
I can’t do a handstand —
I might overflow,
So pardon the wild crazy thing I just said —
I’m just not the same since there’s rain in my head.

I recall the poem from from Where the Sidewalk Ends, but it was apparently originally from an earlier collection, Hello Poetry. I scanned the contents of Hello Poetry and was surprised to discover that A Boy Named Sue was one of Silverstein’s works. For those unfamiliar, Johnny Cash recorded a live version of A Boy Named Sue (as a song, also apparently by Silverstein) at a concert in San Quentin Prison in 1969. A Boy Named Sue was Johnny Cash’s biggest hit on the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at #2 for three weeks, denied the #1 spot by The Rolling Stones’ Honky Tonk Women.

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