mermaid

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

milly discovered a stranded star

whose 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 at the sea

-e.e. cummings, 1958-