THE GAME

Come, let us play a game, little boy,
        To while the world away.
What shall be - tell me - our harmless toy?
        At what shall we play?

Shall we play - shall we? - at being great?
        No, nor at being grand
Shall we believe that we are Fate
        And make up lives out of sand?

No, little boy, we will play that we are
        Happy, and that we are gay;
Let us pretend we are dreams, very far
        From the world in which we play.