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.

EE Cummings