ourselves: in the sea

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.

e.e. cummings