The poem "IF" by E.E. Cummings explores the concept of an alternative reality where negative events from the past occurred differently. The speaker ponders how their life and the world might be better off without certain "bad things". However, they also realize that if those events were altered, the speaker, the person they're talking to, and the entire world would be different. Ultimately, the speaker accepts the reality and events that have shaped their life rather than dwelling on hypothetical alternatives. The poem has a contemplative and meditative tone as the speaker reflects on possibilities versus realities.