“Maggie and Millie and Molly and May
went down to the beach (to play one day)
and Maggie discovered a shell that sang
so sweetly she couldn’t remember her troubles,
and Millie befriended a stranded star
who’s rays five languid fingers were;
and Molly was chased by a horrible thing
which raced sideways while blowing bubbles:
and May came home with a smooth round stone
as small as a world and as large as alone.
For whatever we lose (like a you or a me)
it’s always ourselves we find in the sea.”
E. E. Cummings, American poet 1894-1962
