I Fell Off the Edge of the World

I walked awhile to near and far away places.

I saw a man, a child, and many other faces.

They welcomed me, every single one,

But as soon as we began to laugh and have fun

I fell off the edge of the world.

I found my way to the surface once more.

And again I began to walk upon the grass and sandy shore.

I saw places of beauty and places of pain.

I saw places of sunshine and places of rain.

But soon again, to my great distain

I fell off the edge of the world.

Once again I climbed back on my circular ball.

I noticed as I went out, I began to stall.

I walked for a while for what seemed like many miles,

And to my surprise, placed upon people’s faces were frowns not smiles.

Many tore their gaze away from me,

And mothers covered their children’s eyes or turned them to a nearby tree.

I ran in shock to a place in town.

I half expected to see in the mirror the face of a clown.

But to my dismay the reflection staring back at me

Was not a clown, a monster, or even a green pea.

As I stared into the reflected glass, I saw I was not there.

The only part of me visible was half of my face at which to stare.

I reasoned and thought and gasped and sighed.

I moaned and groaned and sat and cried.

How could this happen, that there was no more of me?

Not an arm, a leg, a nose, or even a knee.

As I walked around on invisible legs I came to a conclusion.

When I had fallen off the edge of the world did I become an illusion?

But even as I thought of the joy of off the planet never again being hurled

I once again fell of the edge of the world.

(You may be asking yourself what the moral of this story is and if it is at all sincere

But all I have to tell you is: keep your feet on the earth, or you might just disappear.)