The Boa Constrictor Song

The Boa Constrictor Song - context Summary

Published in Where the Sidewalk Ends

This humorous, slightly macabre poem by Shel Silverstein appears in his 1974 children’s collection Where the Sidewalk Ends. Written as a comic, repetitive song about someone being swallowed by a boa constrictor, it uses escalating body-part details and a surprise ending to elicit giggles and mild shock. The poem suits oral performance and children’s reading, combining simple language with darkly playful imagery typical of Silverstein’s work.