June 12, 2020

WHATIF BY SHEL SILVERSTEIN


WHATIF BY SHEL SILVERSTEIN 

Are there times when your mind fills with fear? Have you ever thought,“What if something dangerous happens to me or the people around me?” “What if the world stops revolving around the sun?” “What if the sun does not rise in the morning?” Here is a poem which talks about some more such “Whatifs”. 

Last night, while I lay thinking here, 

Some Whatifs crawled inside my ear 

And pranced and partied all night long 

And sang their same old Whatif song: 

Whatif I’m dumb in school? 

Whatif they’ve closed the swimming-pool? 

Whatif I get beat up? 

Whatif there’s poison in my cup? 

Whatif I start to cry? 

Whatif I get sick and die? 

Whatif I flunk that test? 

Whatif green hair grows on my chest? 

Whatif nobody likes me? 

Whatif a bolt of lightning strikes me? 

Whatif I don’t grow taller? 

Whatif my head starts getting smaller? 

Whatif the fish won’t bite? 

Whatif the wind tears up my kite? 

Whatif they start a war? 

Whatif my parents get divorced? 

Whatif the bus is late? 

Whatif my teeth don’t grow in straight? 

Whatif I tear my pants? 

Whatif I never learn to dance? 

Everything seems swell, and then 

The night-time Whatif strikes again!