Theme and summary

I read a poem the other day, I have been thinking a lot about it lately. Where the Sidewalk Ends by Shel Silverstein. This poem is about leaving behind a bad place, and going into the unknown. 

There is a place where the sidewalk ends
And before the street begins,
And there the grass grows soft and white,
And there the sun burns crimson bright,
And there the moon-bird rests from his flight
To cool in the peppermint wind.

Let us leave this place where the smoke blows black
And the dark street winds and bends.
Past the pits where the asphalt flowers grow
We shall walk with a walk that is measured and slow,
And watch where the chalk-white arrows go
To the place where the sidewalk ends.

Yes we'll walk with a walk that is measured and slow,
And we'll go where the chalk-white arrows go,
For the children, they mark, and the children, they know
The place where the sidewalk ends.

I think my favorite part of this poem is where it says "let us leave this place where the smoke  blows black" I think that is saying that you have to let the past be in the past and not worry about it, you have to move on and forget about it. The real life issue illustrated in this poem is showing how it may be hard to leave the past, but you have to keep moving forward and keep your head held high. I think it is also saying that we follow the path that is marked out for us, because we don't know any different. We are taught to go where we are told, so that is what we do. The poem has an underlying meaning that is saying "don't go with the forsaken path." Or in other words, it is ok to go where ever you want in life, and make your own future. But in real life, people are afraid to make their own choices, so they follow the ones that are already set for them.