as small as a world

maggie and molly and milly 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 languid five 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