Priceless

Round curls and shiny locks

In gold, red, and brown

Bounce on their foreheads

As they skip and run through the halls.


Sparkling blue and green

Or deep brown eyes

Shift from toy to toy

And swirl with indecision.


Little noses, smooth and

Freckled and unmarred

Scrunch up with laughter

Or a loud sneeze.


Pudgy round cheeks and

Small, clear foreheads,

Pink with sunburn and

Made pinker by bright dresses.


Tiny, soft lips with bite marks

Carefully form words

Or gentle smiles or

Wet, adorable pouts.


Fragile shoulders lengthen into

Arms and fragile little hands,

Trustingly enclosed in another's

Or wrapped around a crayon.


Thin, light bodies barely

Heavier than a bag of feathers;

Or round, soft toddler tummies

Smooth and pale and ticklish.


Little toes curl in their shoes,

With chipped blue and purple polish

Or dirt covering

The white edges.


Young, clean, naive minds

Untouched by the filth in

The big world.

Beautiful, innocent, pure...


Priceless.