Only a little thing It was only a tiny seed, To lay me down and die, Carelessly brushed aside; Only a little thing, But it grew in time to a noxious weed, And yet it is to die. And spread its poison wide. Only a little thing To take away my breath, It was only a little leak, Only a little thing, So small you might hardly see; And yet it is called death. But the rising waters found the break, Only a little thing, And wrecked the great levee. The love of one true friend, Only a little thing, It was only a single spark, And yet it is life's end. Dropped by a passing train; Only a little thing But the dead leaves caught, and swift and dark The parting of the ways, Was its work on wood and plain. Only a little thing, And yet the end of days. It was only a thoughtless word, Only a little thing Scarce meant to be unkind; To say a prayer at night, But it pierced as a dart to the heart that heard, Only a little thing, And left its sting behind. And yet it is life's light. Only a little thing, It may seem a trifle at most, To trust and not to fear, The thing that we do or say; Only a little thing, And yet it may be that at fearful cost And yet it is God near. We may wish it undone someday. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...GOLIATH AND DAVID by ROBERT RANKE GRAVES IN THE LAND WHERE WE WERE DREAMING by DANIEL BEDINGER LUCAS SHAMEFUL DEATH by WILLIAM MORRIS (1834-1896) ODE ON THE DEATH OF THE DUKE OF WELLINGTON by ALFRED TENNYSON THE MESSENGER by WILLIAM ROSE BENET THE SONG OF THE SAVOYARDS by HENRY AMES BLOOD |