Poem 48 (Pandemic Day 55)

If I Were in Charge of the World

If I were in charge of the world

I'd cancel oatmeal,

Monday mornings,

Allergy shots, and also 

Sara Steinberg.

If I were in charge of the world

There'd be brighter night lights,

Healthier hamsters, and 

Basketball baskets forty-eight inches lower.

If I were in charge of the world

You wouldn't have lonely,

You wouldn't have clean,

You wouldn't have bedtimes.

Or "Don't punch your sister."

You wouldn't even have sisters.

If I were in charge of the world

A chocolate sundae with whipped cream and nuts

     would be a vegetable

All 007 movies would be G,

And a person who sometimes forgot to brush,

And sometimes forgot to flush,

Would still be allowed to be

In charge of the world.

Judith Viorst, If I Were In Charge Of the World: and other worries, Atheneum, 1981.

Judith Viorst (1931-) has written many books for both children and adults.  I admire her chameleon nature; getting inside the minds of children as she did in this poem (and in the Alexander books, such as Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No-Good, Very Bad Day) but also giving us the view of life from each decade she has passed through.  This week I'll share a poem from her life in her 30's, 40's and 50's.  Her most recent book is Nearing Ninety.   Maybe from her place of wisdom of observing human nature over the years she should revisit the idea of being in charge of the world--somehow I wish someone was who might actually care about the fate of the rest of us.