A pearl is a grain of sand that is kept far from its home and held captive in the dark belly of a strange creature. They're rare to find in nature but humans can manufacture them, and I've found more than most.

the sweetest pearl i've ever found was the baby i only got to hold once, who should have been mine, who stayed in the hospital because she became an addict in the womb and her parents cant stop fighting.

the saltiest pearl ive ever found was the girl with the black lipstick, screaming the show that this flower isnt part of the wallpaper and all she needed to know was that she was worthy of a love letter.

the lumpiest pearls are the loved ones who rebuff me for fear of loss, the lovers who lose me because they stood still instead of taking a chance, and the family members who own my heart but ignore the existence of my mind.

I hate the sea but I love pearls because just like me, they're a bit of sand just trying to become something great. so here i sit, waiting for someone to find me like i found the others, who'll hold me close and tell me im pretty.

me who loves too easily,
who gives too much of herself,
and feels too much like a grain of sand lost in the dark.
but pearls take time and are hard to find in nature.