The grain of sand

We had built ourselves a house

of sand, of sand,

we had looked joyfully on it

and trusted its solidity:

it stood, it stood.

Then, a grain detached itself

quite small, quite small;

it rolls and impacting it breaks and sunders;

and our house so beautiful and great

crumbles, collapses.

We look now in wonder on

the result, the effect:

one small grain has caused it;

one small grain can change

change much, change all.