Where the Sidewalk Ends Quotes

I will not play at tug o’ war. I’d rather play at hug o’ war, Where everyone hugs Instead of tugs, Where everyone giggles And rolls on the rug, Where everyone kisses, And everyone grins, And everyone cuddles, And everyone wins.

“It’s amazing the difference A bit of sky can make.”

If you are a dreamer, come in, If you are a dreamer, a wisher, a liar, A hope-er, a pray-er, a magic bean buyer... If you’re a pretender come sit by my fire For we have some flax-golden tales to spin. Come in! Come in!

Listen to the MUSTN’TS, child, Listen to the DON’TS Listen to the SHOULDN’TS The IMPOSSIBLES, the WON’TS Listen to the NEVER HAVES Then listen close to me— Anything can happen, child, ANYTHING can be.

“This boat that we just built is just fine— And don’t try to tell us it’s not. The sides and the back are divine— It’s the bottom I guess we forgot. . . .”

If the track is tough and the hill is rough, THINKING you can just ain’t enough!

“Oh, if you’re a bird, be an early bird And catch the worm for your breakfast plate. If you’re a bird, be an early early bird— But if you’re a worm, sleep late.”

“But all the magic I have known I’ve had to make myself.”

“In a world of apples and kisses and shoes He wasted his wishes on wishing.”

“If you were only one inch tall, you’d ride a worm to school. The teardrop of a crying ant would be your swimming pool.”

“A tree house, a free house, A secret you and me house, A high up in the leafy branches Cozy as can be house. A street house, a neat house, Be sure to wipe your feet house Is not my kind of house at all— Let’s go live in a tree house.”

My skin is kind of sort of brownish Pinkish yellowish white. My eyes are greyish blueish green, But I’m told they look orange in the night. My hair is reddish blondish brown, But it’s silver when its wet, And all the colors I am inside Have not been invented yet.

I’ll swing By my ankles, She’ll cling To your knees As you hang By your nose From a high-up Trapeze. But just one thing, please, As we float through the breeze— Don’t sneeze.”

“She drank from a bottle called DRINK ME And she grew so tall, She ate from a plate called TASTE ME And down she shrank so small. And so she changed, while other folks Never tried nothin’ at all.”

“There is a place where the sidewalk ends And before the street begins, And there the grass grows soft and white, And there the sun burns crimson bright, And there the moon-bird rests from his flight To cool in the peppermint wind. Let us leave this place where the smoke blows black And the dark street winds and bends. Past the pits where the asphalt flowers grow We shall walk with a walk that is measured and slow, And watch where the chalk-white arrows go To the place where the sidewalk ends. Yes we’ll walk with a walk that is measured and slow, And we’ll go where the chalk-white arrows go, For the children, they mark, and the children, they know The place where the sidewalk ends.”

“Sandra’s seen a leprechaun, Eddie touched a troll, Laurie danced with witches once, Charlie found some goblins’ gold. Donald heard a mermaid sing, Susy spied an elf, But all the magic I have known I’ve had to make myself.”

“He wasted his wishes on wishing.”

“So I’m all of love that could make it today.”

“And all the colors I am inside have not been invented yet.”

Are wild strawberries really wild? Will they scratch an adult, will they snap at a child? Should you pet them, or let them run free where they roam? Could they ever relax in a steam-heated home? Can they be trained to not growl at the guests? Will a litterbox work or would they make a mess? Can we make them a Cowberry, herding the cows, Or maybe a Muleberry pulling the plows, Or maybe a Huntberry chasing the grouse, Or maybe a Watchberry guarding the house, And though they may curl up at your feet oh so sweetly Can you ever feel that you trust them completely? Or should we make a pet out of something less scary, Like the Domestic Prune or the Imported Cherry, Anyhow, you’ve been warned and I will not be blamed If your Wild Strawberries cannot be tamed.

“Ricky was ‘L’ but he’s home with the flu, Lizzie, our ‘O,’ had some homework to do, Mitchell, ‘E’ prob’ly got lost on the way, So I’m all of the love that could make it today.”

“Once I spoke the language of the flowers, Once I understood each word the caterpillar said, Once I smiled in secret at the gossip of the starlings, And shared a conversation with the housefly in my bed. Once I heard and answered all the questions of the crickets, And joined the crying of each falling dying flake of snow, Once I spoke the language of the flowers. . . . How did it go? How did it go?”

“And here we see the invisible boy In his lovely invisible house, Feeding a piece of invisible cheese To a little invisible mouse. Oh, what a beautiful picture to see! Will you draw an invisible picture for me?”