If I Were in Charge of the World | Teen Ink
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If I Were in Charge of the World MAG

By Anonymous

(Apologies to Judith Viorst)
If I were in charge of the world
My favorite flip-flops would never wear out.
There would be no books of poems with the
last page missing,
No hairy spiders to hide in the corners.
If I were in charge of the world
I would have a never-ending string of puddles
to jump in,
And mothers would never scold their children
for tracking mud halfway down the hall.
If I were in charge of the world
There would never be hungry but always satisfied,
Except in the classroom, where
There would be endless shelves of books to feed
voracious minds.
I would find a way to make it easier
For everyone to understand that sometimes the same
stars can make
multiple constellations,
And that Archimedes was right:
You can move the world if only you have a lever and
a place to stand.

© Anonymous

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JOIN THE DISCUSSION

This article has 259 comments.

cascadeblanche BRONZE said...
on Mar. 12 2011 at 9:42 pm
cascadeblanche BRONZE, Winder, Georgia
1 article 2 photos 6 comments
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I loved it! You think of things I never would've though of.
kena...3 said...
on Mar. 11 2011 at 7:59 am
i luv dis poem u did a great job!!
starsandotherthings BRONZE said...
on Feb. 18 2011 at 8:42 pm
starsandotherthings BRONZE, Grand Isle, Louisiana
1 article 0 photos 18 comments

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" To be old and wise, you must first be young and stupid" "Paper is more patient than man"

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Amazing, i would love it if you ruled the world. I hate spiders =]
writerinfinity PLATINUM said...
on Jan. 27 2011 at 6:40 pm
writerinfinity PLATINUM, Arlington, Texas
35 articles 0 photos 105 comments
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Very good! I love it!
ShelbyMarie93 PLATINUM said...
on Jan. 27 2011 at 3:16 pm
ShelbyMarie93 PLATINUM, Lexington, Nebraska
35 articles 1 photo 62 comments

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&quot;When Death to either shall come -- I pray it be first to me.&quot; ~Robert Bridges<br /> or<br /> &quot;Life is not a jump; it&#039;s a headfirst dive.&quot;<br /> or<br /> &quot;Within you I lose myself; without you I find myself wanting to be lost again.&quot; <br /> <br /> ╔══╗<br /> ╚╗╔╝<br /> ╔╝(&macr;`v&acute;&macr;)<br /> ╚══`.&cedil;.Isaac H.

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Simply mind-opening! Love it! I'd love it if someone with your talent would check out my work! If you decide to, please rate it and comment leaving your feedback! THANKS!

PS...DEFINITELY keep writing, you're amazing!

WerewolfWriting BRONZE said...
on Jan. 27 2011 at 9:44 am
WerewolfWriting BRONZE, Eerie, Nevada
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I agree with the world you portray! :) Your world is simple and easygoing and banishes the fear of your flip-flops breaking. :)
Jamers_smile GOLD said...
on Jan. 27 2011 at 8:13 am
Jamers_smile GOLD, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
11 articles 0 photos 7 comments

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i like the message you're trying to get across, but i'm not sure the way you have things worded is the most powerful way you can have them. some lines are kind of confusing, and you're ending doesn't really pull together; i feel like the poem could have been continued .... overall it was decent, but somethings could use a look over...
Jones said...
on Jan. 6 2011 at 5:38 pm
Jones, Spotsylvania, Virginia
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Hey

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I thoroughly enjoy the simplicity of the words. I disagree with others. Sometimes there is no need to use many confusing and "big" words, when the message you want to portray is very quite simple. I am one for the naiive mind (not to say that is what you are). But I understand the pureness in your words. I appreciate the focus
TheWanderingMoo SILVER said...
on Jan. 5 2011 at 2:07 pm
TheWanderingMoo SILVER, Oberrieden, Other
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I think that a child-like and simplistic voice can be utilized, as it is done in this case, to provide insight  and emphasis to the views being expressed.
BelleVie11 said...
on Jan. 5 2011 at 10:32 am
I thoroughly enjoy the simplicity of the words. I disagree with others. Sometimes there is no need to use many confusing and "big" words, when the message you want to portray is very quite simple. I am one for the naiive mind (not to say that is what you are). But I understand the pureness in your words. I appreciate the focus and AGAIN... the simplicity. Why confuse your readers? Why make it "look" good to the world, when it is YOUR world? Keep up the good work!
J.Francoise-Marie BRONZE said...
on Dec. 14 2010 at 10:01 pm
J.Francoise-Marie BRONZE, Hanover, Massachusetts
4 articles 0 photos 1 comment
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I love the last 2 lines, very powerful!!
WindDancer GOLD said...
on Dec. 14 2010 at 3:42 pm
WindDancer GOLD, Lexington, Kentucky
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&quot;It&#039;s time to start living the life you&#039;ve imagined&quot; <br /> - Henry James<br /> <br /> &quot;I read to escape, I write to confront.&quot;

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I would like very much to go to your world :)

Keep writing!

kkjk2222fgh2h2 said...
on Dec. 14 2010 at 3:38 pm
I AGREE with you
bob 1234567890 said...
on Dec. 14 2010 at 1:54 pm

dont like it

 

8MiSuNdErStOoD8 BRONZE said...
on Dec. 14 2010 at 12:57 pm
8MiSuNdErStOoD8 BRONZE, Pembroke Pines, Florida
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that was great :)
HPettit BRONZE said...
on Dec. 10 2010 at 11:08 am
HPettit BRONZE, Cowpens, South Carolina
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this is pretty awesome(: haha

good use of vocab & reference to Archimedes.

singergurl12 GOLD said...
on Dec. 10 2010 at 9:52 am
singergurl12 GOLD, Jacksonville, Florida
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thats what writing is- taking anothers idea and making it your own. so what if you saw something a little like it? even if that same poem inspired Jessica to write this, that writer should be proud he or she inspired something as great as this. good work, Jessica.
gargar SILVER said...
on Nov. 22 2010 at 9:20 pm
gargar SILVER, .., New Jersey
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check out some of mine if you can :) i take negative and postivie criticism
gargar SILVER said...
on Nov. 22 2010 at 9:19 pm
gargar SILVER, .., New Jersey
8 articles 9 photos 11 comments
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The messege is good but honestly it could have been better articulated. The whole "if I was in charge of the world" thing sounds like a topic we would write on in elementary school. Maybe in future poems try to make your poem structure, vocabulary, etc. as sophistocated as the concepts. 
SaMiLoVe97 SILVER said...
on Nov. 22 2010 at 9:17 pm
SaMiLoVe97 SILVER, Okawville, Illinois
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I sat here for like an hour trying to figure out if i knew the name. I drew a blank