The Academy of American Poets: Shel Silverstein
Read Shel Silverstein’s biography and sample more of his poems at this site offered by the Academy of American Poets. What do you think makes Silverstein’s poetry appealing? Study the poet’s tone, his word choice, and the topics covered in his poems and then write a paragraph that explains why people enjoy Silverstein’s poetry. Support your ideas with examples from "Whatif" and the poems at this site.

The Academy of American Poets: Maya Angelou
This link is devoted to the poet Maya Angelou. Click on Alone to read another of Angelou’s poems. What difference do you see between "Alone" and "Life Doesn’t Frighten Me"? Which poem do you think would be more helpful to someone who is going through a hard time? Why? Answer these questions in the Web Links Activity Log.