I saw a tiny God <br />Sitting <br />Under a bright blue umbrella <br />That had white tassels <br />And forked ribs of gold. <br />Below him His little world <br />Lay open to the sun. <br />The shadow of His hat <br />Lay upon a city. <br />When he stretched forth His hand <br />A lake became a dark tremble. <br />When he kicked up His foot <br />It became night in the mountain passes. <br /> <br /> But thou art small! <br />There are gods far greater than thou. <br />They rise and fall, <br />The tumbling gods of the sea. <br />Can thy heart heave such sighs, <br />Such hollow savage cries, <br />Such windy breath, <br />Such groaning death? <br />And can thy arm enfold <br />The old, <br />The cold, <br />The changeless dreadful places <br />Where the herds <br />Of horned sea-monsters <br />And the screaming birds <br />Gather together? <br />From those silent men <br />That lie in the pen <br />Of our pearly prisons, <br />Canst thou hunt thy prey? <br />Like us canst thou stay <br />Awaiting thine hour, <br />And then rise like a tower <br />And crash and shatter? <br /> <br />There are neither trees nor bushes <br />In my country, <br />Said the tiny God. <br />But there are streams <br />And waterfalls <br />And mountain-peaks <br />Covered with lovely weed. <br />There are little shores and safe harbours, <br />Caves for cool and plains for sun and wind. <br />Lovely is the sound of the rivers, <br />Lovely the flashing brightness <br />Of the lovely peaks. <br />I am content. <br /> <br />But Thy kingdom is small, <br />Said the God of the Sea. <br />Thy kingdom shall fall; <br />I shall not let thee be. <br />Thou art proud! <br />With a loud <br />Pealing of laughter, <br />He rose and covered <br />The tiny God's land <br />With the tip of his hand, <br />With the curl of his fingers: <br />And after-- <br /> <br />The tiny God <br />Began to cry<br /><br />Katherine Mansfield<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/waves-2/
