One of the first things that my 5th grader brought home from school is a delightful poem they wrote in his literacy class. It is his version of Judith Viorst's If I Were in Charge of the World and I thought I'd share it with all of you literate folk.T.'s version:
If I were in charge of the world
I'd cancel school,
Weekdays,
Eggplant, and also Justin Bieber.
If I were in charge of the world
There'd be darker night lights
Cuter chihuahuas and
Soccer goals 100 feet wider
If I were in charge of the world
You wouldn't have tired
You wouldn't have sleepy
You wouldn't have exhausted
Or "Don't kick your brother"
You wouldn't even have brothers.
If I were in charge of the world
Whipped cream on anything
Would be a vegetable
All Bourne movies would be G
And a person who sometimes forgot to move
And sometimes forgot to groove
Would still be allowed to be in charge of the world.
Don't you just love this? Obviously his older brother hasn't ben particularly nice to him lately and he's chafing over bedtime and my arguments for an early one. I love seeing what's important to him and how tough it obviously is being the youngest. But the best part for me is the final stanza's last three lines. I have no idea where he came up with that but I think it's hilarious. Do you remember having to write poems inspired by other poems? I sure do but I'm pretty sure none of mine were this entertaining.
My reading adventures this week weren't very extensive. I went along for the ride as two damaged people opened up to each other and the possibility of love through gardening and I visited the seminal year of 1984 in one young boy's life. I am still visiting a desert fortess in the middle east long ago and a California citrus farm after a horrific family tragedy. Where have your book travels taken you this week?
Hi Kristen,
ReplyDeleteI think that T's version of the poem is fantastic. I particularly like the third verse, he obviously has very strong views about just when he should go to bed, in direct relation to how tired he actually is, not how tired you think he should be and the line about not even having brothers really made me smile!
My reading this week has taken me to the Philippines and I aim to stay around for a bit longer yet, especially if it stays so much warmer than it is here in the UK right now!
A lovely post, thanks for sharing.
Yvonne
That poem is truly priceless! I want to live in his world where whipped cream on anything counts as it being a vegetable. I could live without listening to Justin Bieber, too.
ReplyDeleteI love T's poem. In fact I asked my DH to "mute" Sunday Night Football, while I read it to him. Our kids are 44 and 48. So it has been a long time since I looked into the mind of a 5th grader. Thanks for the opportunity. It is Great!!
ReplyDeleteMy reading travels have been to Nova Scotia(now) and England in the 1500's simultaneously in a great book, Betrayal by Michele Kallio. Also, the psychologists couch, listening to John Gray try to explain Why Mars and Venus Collide.
That is fantastic!
ReplyDelete