Shel Silverstein

Something Missing

Something Missing - meaning Summary

A Small, Puzzling Oversight

The speaker recounts dressing carefully for a dance—socks, shoes, a colorful tie, and coat—only to realize mid-preparation that something important has been forgotten. The poem captures a childlike, anxious bemusement at a vague missing element, shifting from confident recollection to puzzled self-questioning. Its tone blends humor and slight panic, emphasizing how small oversights can unsettle an otherwise ordinary routine.

Read Complete Analyses

I remember I put on my socks, I remember I put on my shoes. I remember I put on my tie That was painted In beautiful purples and blues. I remember I put on my coat, To look perfectly grand at the dance, Yet I fell there is something I may have forgot---- What is it? What is it?. . .

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