Dreadful -- Shel Silverstein

Guest poem sent in by Erin Mansell

(Poem #1247) Dreadful Someone ate the baby. It's rather sad to say. Someone ate the baby So she won't be out to play. We'll never hear her whiney cry Or have to feel if she is dry. We'll never hear her asking "Why?" Someone ate the baby. Someone ate the baby. It's absolutely clear Someone ate the baby 'Cause the baby isn't here. We'll give away her toys and clothes. We'll never have to wipe her nose. Dad says, "That's the way it goes." Someone ate the baby. Someone ate the baby. What a frightful thing to eat! Someone ate the baby Though she wasn't very sweet. It was a heartless thing to do. The policemen haven't got a clue. I simply can't imagine who Would go and (burp) eat the baby. -- Shel Silverstein

All I could think when I read the title of 'the lost baby poem' was
'Dreadful' and since it seems to be very stream of consciousness/related by
a slip of memory on the Minstrels these days I thought I'd pass along this.
I went on to read 'the lost baby poem' and enjoyed it but in the interest of
keeping things light...  My mom use to be very disgusted with this poem.  It
didn't help that it was so easy to commit to memory and recite at
inopportune times.  I still get a kick out of it and thought you might too.
My baby sister doesn't think it's as funny as I do but then she never was
very sweet.  This poem is from 'Where the Sidewalk Ends'.

Erin