By Lynn O.
Pearl I was
white
clean
If not necessarily pure
irritant
grain turned into
something precious
not exactly usual
fragile
easily misshapen
easily stained
easily shattered
Pearl I was
for the
bead representing
the month of
my birth
Pearl I was
pursued by
pirates
princes
and pirate princes
just out of reach
but always
smiling
Pearl I am
layers
of nacre
surround the
original
irritant
not
perfectly round
perfectly white
perfectly anything
Pearl I am