Hard as a stone, and soft as wool.

’Tis of no color, but of snow,

Outside and inside black as ink;

All red, all yellow, green and blue—

This moment you upon it think.

In every noise, this strikes your ear,

’Twill soon expire, ’twill ne’er decay;

Does always in the light appear,

And yet was never seen by day.

Than the whole earth it larger is,