Monday Mainstay: If I Were In Charge of the World (Judith Viorst)

If I Were In Charge of the World

Judith Viorst

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 nights 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.




The world sounds like it'd be more fun if Judith Viorst were in charge of the world, doesn't it? Maybe my favorite bit is how she would cancel Monday mornings (or bedtimes or lonely). If I were in charge, I'd outlaw cubicles for sure and give everyone ice cream on Wednesdays (it's smack in the middle of the week and sometimes you need an extra little something to get through it, don't you think?) and there would be no such thing as malnutrition or war. Oh, and there'd  be more glitter and sequins. Definitely.

What would the world be like if you were in charge?


To doing one thing that makes us feel like we are in charge of the world (I've had ice cream today, thank you very much).