Poem of the Day - Part 45

Show It At the Beach
by Shel Silverstein

Shel Silverstein (1930-1999) was an author, poet, cartoonist, and songwriter.  Best known for his children's books like A Light In the Attic, he also wrote the Johnny Cash song A Boy Named Sue and was a regular contributor to Playboy magazine.  Above, Silverstein on an assignment for Playboy to a nudist camp.  Silverstein was not gay.  He once visited Fire Island on assignment for Playboy, resulting in a bunch of cartoons that poked fun at the gay men there, but no more than he poked fun at everyone else.

He wrote Show It at the Beach as the lyrics of a song protesting against the closure of nude beaches.  I've illustrated it with suitable photos.

Oh, they won't let us show it at the beach

No, they won't let us show it at the beach

They think we're gonna grab it if it gets within our reach

And they won't let us show it at the beach.

But you can show it in your parlor to most anyone you choose

You can show it at a party with your second shot of booze

You can show it on a corner wearin' overcoat and shoes

But they won't let us show it at the beach.

No, they won't let us show it at the beach, friends

Ah, they won't let us show it at the beach

Oh, they're sure we're gonna grab it if it gets within our reach

So they won't let us show it at the beach.

But you can show it at the movies on the cineramic screen

You can show it in the most sophisticated magazine

You can show it while you're bouncing on the high school trampoline

But they won't let us show it at the beach.

But if you've got a gun it's legal to display it on your hip

You can show your butcher knives to any interested kid

But if it's made for lovin' then you'd better keep it hid

And they won't let us show it at the beach.