If I were God facts for kids

If I were God (original title: Vore jag Gud or Om jag vore gud) is a poem written by Astrid Lindgren.

Synopsis

In the poem, Astrid Lindgren writes that if she were God, she would weep over the human beings, about their cruelty, despair, fear, torment, etc. In particular, she would weep for the children, since she never wanted things to be for them like they are now. She would cry floods of tears in which all her poor humans could drown, because then it would finally be quiet.

Background

Years after the poem was published, Astrid Lindgren wrote down her thoughts and feelings about the poem. She said that when she thought about the fate of humans, especially children, she often felt helpless. The injustices, pollution, destruction, etc. made her sad. When she heard about the bad things that humans were doing, it was difficult for her to believe in the good in them. It frightened her when she thought about what the children of the world were enduring. The people who are responsible for making the children suffer so much were certainly not an "image of God". She also described the tragic fate of refugee children in Sweden who were exposed to the hatred of the population and were not wanted in Sweden. They were deported back to their home countries with their families, even though they were only looking for a safe home. Astrid Lindgren would like to help all unhappy children, she explained. She often dreamed of taking care of such a child and giving this child a home. Lindgren repeatedly campaigned for refugee children, at that time mostly from the former Yugoslavia. Among other things, she wrote to politicians such as Mikhail Sergeevich Gorbachev and campaigned for peace in war countries or contributed the foreword to the book Jag drömmer om Fred (1994), published by UNICEF, in which painted pictures of refugee children were published.

In addition to If I were God, Astrid Lindgren wrote other poems. A lot of other works, originally written as poems, were rewritten and used as songs in the Astrid Lindgren films. Others were part of her stories and tales.

In 1975 the poem was written. It was later published many times in countries like Sweden and Germany. It was translated into English in 2018 and published in the book Never Violence!. The poem was translated by Kerstin and Roger Tanner. Stina Wirsén made the illustrations next to the poem. Ilon Wikland had previously illustrated some publications of the poem in Sweden and Germany.

Next to this the Dutch composer Patrick van Deurzen composed a song to Astrid Lindgren's English text. It was made for a mixed choir, viola and violoncello.

After Lindgren got a stroke in 1998, she asked her daughter and Kerstin Kvint to read literature to her. Among her requested works was also her own poem If I were God.

English Edition

• Astrid Lindgren: If I were god. In: Astrid Lindgren (2018): Never violence! (Englisch). Astrid Lindgren Text. P.42–45