Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Oh! The Places You'll Go! by Dr. Seuss
Oh! The Places You'll Go! by Dr. Seuss
Oh! The Places You'll Go! by Dr. Seuss
Seuss
Congratulations! the lead.
Today is your day. Wherever you fly, you'll be best of the best.
You're off to Great Places! Wherever you go, you will top all the rest.
You're off and away!
Except when you don't.
You have brains in your head. Because, sometimes, you won't.
You have feet in your shoes.
You can steer yourself I'm sorry to say so
any direction you choose. but, sadly, it's true
You're on your own. And you know what you that Bang-ups
know. and Hang-ups
And YOU are the guy who'll decide where to go. can happen to you.
You'll look up and down streets. Look 'em over You can get all hung up
with care. in a prickle-ly perch.
About some you will say, "I don't choose to go And your gang will fly on.
there." You'll be left in a Lurch.
With your head full of brains and your shoes full
of feet, You'll come down from the Lurch
you're too smart to go down any not-so-good with an unpleasant bump.
street. And the chances are, then,
that you'll be in a Slump.
And you may not find any
you'll want to go down. And when you're in a Slump,
In that case, of course, you're not in for much fun.
you'll head straight out of town. Un-slumping yourself
is not easily done.
It's opener there
in the wide open air. You will come to a place where the streets are not
marked.
Out there things can happen Some windows are lighted. But mostly they're
and frequently do darked.
to people as brainy A place you could sprain both your elbow and
and footsy as you. chin!
Do you dare to stay out? Do you dare to go in?
And then things start to happen, How much can you lose? How much can you
don't worry. Don't stew. win?
Just go right along.
You'll start happening too. And IF you go in, should you turn left or right...
or right-and-three-quarters? Or, maybe, not quite?
OH! Or go around back and sneak in from behind?
THE PLACES YOU'LL GO! Simple it's not, I'm afraid you will find,
for a mind-maker-upper to make up his mind.
You'll be on y our way up!
You'll be seeing great sights! You can get so confused
You'll join the high fliers that you'll start in to race
who soar to high heights. down long wiggled roads at a break-necking pace
and grind on for miles cross weirdish wild space,
You won't lag behind, because you'll have the headed, I fear, toward a most useless place.
speed. The Waiting Place...
You'll pass the whole gang and you'll soon take
...for people just waiting. you'll be quite a lot.
Waiting for a train to go
or a bus to come, or a plane to go And when you're alone, there's a very good chance
or the mail to come, or the rain to go you'll meet things that scare you right out of your
or the phone to ring, or the snow to snow pants.
or the waiting around for a Yes or No There are some, down the road between hither and
or waiting for their hair to grow. yon,
Everyone is just waiting. that can scare you so much you won't want to go
on.
Waiting for the fish to bite
or waiting for the wind to fly a kite But on you will go
or waiting around for Friday night though the weather be foul.
or waiting, perhaps, for their Uncle Jake On you will go
or a pot to boil, or a Better Break though your enemies prowl.
or a string of pearls, or a pair of pants On you will go
or a wig with curls, or Another Chance. though the Hakken-Kraks howl.
Everyone is just waiting. Onward up many
a frightening creek,
NO! though your arms may get sore
That's not for you! and your sneakers may leak.