Dirty Face

  • A poem by Shel Silverstein (1932-1999)

     

    Where did you get such a dirty face,
    My darling dirty-faced child?


    I got it from crawling along in the dirt
    And biting two buttons off Jeremy’s shirt.
    I got it from chewing the roots of a rose
    And digging for clams in the yard with my nose.
    I got it from peeking into a dark cave
    And painting myself like a Navajo brave.
    I got it from playing with coal in the bin
    And signing my name in cement with my chin.
    I got it from rolling around on the rug
    And giving the horrible dog a big hug.
    I got it from finding a lost silver mine
    And eating sweet blackberries right off the vine.
    I got it from ice cream and wrestling and tears

    And from having more fun than you’ve had in years.