Soapbox

Beautiful One

She is beautiful but cannot see it
in a world that values "pretty" so much more.
She is precious, but will not understand it
until one day a small piece of her heart
leaves her body and walks across the room.

She is fierce in love and loyalty,
a defender of small things,
easily angered by injustice
yet quick to forgive everyone but herself.

She lives with her heart wide open,
defenseless against the calloused and entitled,
easily scratched and dented
yet still she walks unafraid.

She is utterly her own person,
wanting to belong
but never willing to conform.
Her laughter infects the blood,
spreading happy contaigen.
In joy she is incandescent
and like a sparkler on a summer night
her heart lights up the darkness.

It is my solemn burden and highest honor
to worry about her,
to brag about her and feed her,
to entertain her when she is bored,
fuss over her when she is sick,
to cry with her,
rejoice with her and about her-

to call her my child.