The Genius of Dr. Seuss

Ever since I can remember, I have been reading, watching, or listening to the work of Dr. Seuss. I will never be able to forget The Grinch, One Fish Two Fish, The Lorax, Green Eggs and Ham, and so much more. Arguably, all of Dr. Seuss’ work is poetry. With made-up words, playful rhymes, and friendly characters, my childhood was shaped by Dr. Seuss’ messages and I didn’t even know it. 

Dr. Seuss tackled important issues like environmental activism in The Lorax, trying new things through Green Eggs and Ham, and even the power of thinking in Oh, the Places You’ll Go! Even as young children, we learned valuable lessons from his writing.

Recently, after starting the poetry unit, I have looked into more of Dr. Seuss’ poems. One poem called The Sneetches really stood out to me. 

It talks about a species of birds, a topic so simple that it could be overlooked as childish, but the message it holds is so much more important. It teaches us that everyone is special in their own way, but we also have many of the same basic values and we all want to be treated with respect. Here is my attempt at an application of The Sneetches to our society today: 

If you go to the United States

And walk down the street,

You’ll notice a sort-of-person called an American.

In fact, there are many sorts of Americans you’ll find: 

The fair-skinned kind, the tan-skinned kind, the dark-skinned kind, and many in between.

Now this skin…

It is not a big deal. It is really so small.

You’d think such a thing wouldn’t matter at all. 

But, because of their skin, some Americans

Believe they’re the best kind of Americans.

Disrespect others! Pass them right by

With their fists high and mighty, stuck up in the sky.

Won’t ask them to work together or try to understand their backgrounds.

And the other Americans…

Well, they get so mad

That they sometimes do things that are really quite bad.

How they fight in the streets

Those unfriendly people!

And all because Americans with certain colored skin

Think they’re better than others.

(And, really, it’s sort of a terrible shame,

For, except for their skin, all Americans are fundamentally the same.)