| Soliloquy of a Postage Stamp |
| |
| I am the world's greatest traveler. I've
journeyed from pole to pole, and all the climes in between...by dogsled,
camel and horseback, by every land, sea and air conveyance; even by
submarine, dirigible and rocket. |
| |
| I am the world's greatest art and portrait
gallery. The heroes and heroines of mythology pose within my borders. I
portray the greats and near-greats of all time; kings and queens, pharaohs
and presidents, princes and princesses, poets and patriots, emperors and
explorers, athletes, architects, aviators, artists and adventurers, tribal
chieftains, inventors, moguls, musicians and martyrs, dramatists and
novelists, shahs, sultans, saints and sinners. Even the vanished forms of
the phoenix, dragon, centaur and unicorn appear upon my face. |
| |
| I am the world's greatest picture chronicle and
miniature encyclopedia. I map communities, countries and continents, and
reveal views from every strange remote corner of the earth. I depict
mountains and valleys; oceans, rivers, lakes waterfalls, geysers, harbors,
bridges and dams; native canoes, sailing ships and modern ocean liners;
monuments and statues; castles, cathedrals, churches, missions, mosques,
temples and ruins of temples; and every type of locomotion from automobiles
to zeppelins and steamboats to space ships. I delineate all manner of
sports, handicrafts, customs, sacred rites and ceremonies; and nearly every
variety of bird, animal, fish, fruit and flower. |
| |
| I frame the horrors of war, the blessings of
peace, the hardships of emigration, the plight of indigence and the blight
of famine. I illustrate the adventures of Don Quixote, the fairy tales of
childhood and the legends of all civilizations. I reflect the symbols of art
and culture, of natural resources and industry, of trade and commerce, of
agriculture and architecture, and of all human endeavor. I commemorate the
expeditions and voyages, and the inventions, discoveries and creations that
make life worth living. |
| |
| Millions of men, women and children are
fascinated by me. Through my infinite variety they find boundless pleasure,
relaxation and enchantment. |
| |
| Yet...I am only a postage stamp! |
