Poems with a perfect tinge of danger

There are two types of people that read poetry these days, it seems: poets and kids. Does kids poetry have to be bad? Actually, I seem to have much better luck with "kids" poetry than with serious poetry, and perhaps that it merely because kids are a more discerning audience. By this, I mean that a kid knows what they like, and if they don't like something, they will say so. Having been educated a bit on poetry, my own tastes and thoughts on the subject become muddled. I don't know if what I think is good is good because I actually like it or I have been told it was good. Silverstein, I am unwavering in this, is one of the best poets, in my opinion, both now and when I was originally introduced to the author. 

As a child reading this book, it felt subversive. I could feel something special when my mom gave me this book. It has a bit of the malevolence and scariness of Roald Dahl, but this made me feel special. Like I was trusted to be able to handle something a little dangerous. I could relate to the poems because they were about things I was experiencing, or did experience, or might experience. I read this book over and over and one day I hope to be a cool parent and give this to my kid. 

Obviously, this is a book that one might enjoy ala carte. You do not have to read the whole thing, order is unimportant. If you read the poems in this book and wish for more, Silverstein's other books will not disappoint, I read all three compulsively.