This paper examines the life and career of Shel Silverstein who was a famous children's author as well as a prolific songwriter,
humorist, singer, playwright, adult cartoonist and poet. It discusses how his work has been embraced by millions of
people of all ages since the early 1950s. It also looks at how the poet Billy Collins has earned the respect of many young people through his humorous, reader-friendly
poetry and how he implemented the Poetry 180 Program, a poem a day for high school students of America.