I hold her pearl,

and beauty is young

It is a waterfall,

before it cuts deep

a roadtrip's first song

It is the short grass of a freshly cut lawn

Though it is tucked away in a shoebox,

Next to a bent sewing needle,

There is soccer practice

And handing out sweets

And the two wheels steered by unsteady feet

My sweet thing,

Beauty is young

And I hold her pearl,

Tightly now,

Licking strawberry icecream while kicking your feet

Down the slide

Seeing other students you didn't even know to meet

Then up the stairs to bed

Her world has changed

There are no more grocery races in carts

No more glittery nails

Or picnics at the park

And here is her pearl,

In my hands.

But she is still here

Among the soccer team that takes her far

And in the room that never seems to get clean

There are still breathless laughs

And warm tomato soup

Even a new subscription-based tv series,

And I hold her pearl,

Right here in my palm,

And I know that beauty is timeless