maggie and milly and molly and may

by E. E. Cummings

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

Dit gedicht heb ik gisteren voorgelezen, over laten schrijven en besproken in een klas met 13 à 14 jarige pubers. Het was wonderlijk om de gezichten van bepaalde leerlingen op te zien lichten bij de zin "as small as a world and as large as alone" en anderen te zien gniffelen bij "a horrible thing which raced sideways while blowing bubbles". We hebben gesproken over hoe iets vergeten verschilt van je iets niet meer kunnen herinneren.
Als huiswerk heb ik ze de volgende vraag meegegeven: If you had lost a you or a me, what would you find in the sea? Ik ben heel benieuwd!