Mine

By Lilian Moore
I made a sand castle.
In rolled the sea.
            "All sand castles
            belong to me—
            to me,"
said the sea.

I dug sand tunnels.
In flowed the sea.
            "All sand tunnels
            belong to me—
            to me,"
said the sea.

I saw my sand pail floating free.
I ran and snatched it from the sea.
            "My sand pail
            belongs to me—
            to ME!"

Copyright Credit: Lilian Moore, “Mine” from I Feel the Same Way (New York: Atheneum, 1967). Copyright © 1967 by Lilian Moore. All Rights Renewed and Reserved. Used by permission of Marian Reiner.
Source: A Jar of Tiny Stars (1995)