The Inflatable Globe

When the allegorical man came calling,
He told us all he would show us a trick,
And he showed us a flat but inflatable ball.
"Look at this ball," he told us all;
"Look at the lines marked out on this ball."
We looked at the ball and the lines on the ball:
England was red, and France was blue;
Germany orange and Russia brown:
"Look at this ball," he told us all,
"With a blow of my breath I inflate this ball."
He blew, and it bounced, and bouncing, falling,
He bounced it against the wall with a kick.
"But without my breath it will flatten and fall,"
Said the allegorical man; and down
Flat came his hand and squashed down the ball,
And it fell on the floor with no life at all
Once his breath had gone out of the ball. . .
It seemed to us all a stupid trick.