If I Were in Charge of the World
(a form change poem with thanks to Judith Viorst)
If I were in charge of the world,
I’d cancel homework, banana peels, and also cleanest of the clean rooms.
If I were in charge of the world,
There would be more big gallons of chocolate milk,
More ice cream sundaes with cherries,
And lots of dogs who drive motorcycles.
If I were in charge of the world,
You wouldn’t have beetles,
You wouldn’t have cockroaches,
And you wouldn’t have snakes.
If I were in charge of the world,
a big gigantic cake with cherries, sprinkles on top, and cookies
Would be a balanced meal.
All people would be a peecachoo.
And a person who sometimes can’t spell the longest word in the world
And doesn’t like spinach
Would still be allowed to be
In charge of the world.