Maggie and Milly and Molly and May
maggie and milly 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 befriended 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 in the sea
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 befriended 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 in the sea
-e.e. cummings
***
Happy birthday, Mermaiden. I hope it is filled with shells and good dark beer. :D
well. i had just finished pulling my soggy ass together when with tender eyes i saw this.
ReplyDeletei know i've spoken of my utter adulation for e.e. cummings, but you can't have known that this poem was my introduction to his magnificence. my high school english teacher read this in class one day, and my world was transformed.
that said, this day of many birthdays gone by, is taking a new direction. i thank you for many things, my friend!