Stephen Maria Crane

The sage lectured brilliantly

The sage lectured brilliantly. Before him, two images: "Now this one is a devil, And this one is me. " He turned away. Then a cunning pupil Changed the positions. Turned the sage again: "Now this one is a devil, And this one is me. " The pupils sat, all grinning, And rejoiced in the game. But the sage was a sage.