Shel Silverstein

Somebody Has to

Somebody Has to - meaning Summary

Care for the World

The poem frames a whimsical call to care: the speaker urges someone to polish the stars because they appear dull and the birds complain. It mixes playful imagery with a gentle moral: small, communal tasks keep the world bright. The repeated refrain makes the duty feel shared and inevitable, suggesting attentiveness and upkeep—both practical and imaginative—are necessary even for wonders like stars.

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Somebody has to go polish the stars, They're looking a little bit dull. Somebody has to go polish the stars, For the eagles and starlings and gulls Have all been complaining they're tarnished and worn, They say they want new ones we cannot afford. So please get your rags And your polishing jars, Somebody has to go polish the stars.

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