Show It at the Beach
Show It at the Beach - meaning Summary
Censorship and Double Standards
Shel Silverstein satirically criticizes social hypocrisy over public display and morality. The speaker complains that affectionate or sexual displays are banned in a beach setting, while violence and weaponry are openly accepted elsewhere. Repetition emphasizes the arbitrary policing of bodies and intimacy. The poem uses plain, conversational voice to expose double standards about what society deems permissible in public spaces.
Read Complete AnalysesOh they won't let us show it at the beach no they won't let us show it at the beach They think we're gonna grab it if it gets within our reach And they won't let us show it at the beach But you can show it in your parlor to most anyone you choose You can show it at a party with your second shot of booze You can show it on the corner wearin' overcoat and shoes But they won't let us show it at the beach No they won't let us show it at the beach friends Ah they won't us show it at the beach Oh they're sure we're gonna grab it if it gets within our reach So they won't let us show it at the beach But you can show it in the movies on the cineramic screen You can show it in the most sophisticated magazine You can show it while you're bouncing on the high school trampoline But they won't let us show it at the beach But if you've got a gun it's legal to display it on your hip You can show your butcher knives to any interested kid But if it's made for lovin' then you'd better keep it hid And they won't let us show it at the beach
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