From the depths of blue-green waters
past the reefs and sandy shoals,
lye's a place where light strings flicker
on scales of blue and gold;
hidden far beneath forever
where the tides and waters swirl
is a treasure like no other
in the beauty of a Pearl

In a glimmer Kino saw it
like a diamond to his eye -
and he reached so ever quickly
then took it to the sky,
where the sun released its rainbows
like a mother bears a child
with hopes for health and riches
culminating in a sigh

But the Pearl in all its beauty -
born of water sea and sand,
only briefly knew the sunlight
then to darkness it returned,
to the deepest of all places
where it burrowed in the sand -
to hide itself from evil
and the greed it found in man

With dreams completely shattered
like waves across a shoal,
Kino sat - consumed by sorrow
still harboring the Pearl.
In thoughts, sadly remembering
all the recent tragedies,
he weighed both choice and consequence
and how things came to be

Then reaching out across the stern
- resisting desperately -
he slowly opened up his hand
and faced his destiny.
Regretful, but much wiser now
the truth had set him free,
while tears took passage on a wave
his Pearl regained the sea

From the depths of blue-green waters
past the reefs and sandy shoals,
lye's a place where light strings flicker
on scales of blue and gold,
hidden far beneath forever
where the tides and waters swirl;
a realm of breathless beauty waits -
while greed consumes the world

AP Apgar