by Beth Cato
the girl found river stones
colored like sunshine, clouds, and tears
she held them to her ear and heard
unborn spirits rattle inside
mostly petrified after millions of years
within earth's embryonic fluid
she nested the stones within her palm
whispered about lusciously smooth
salted caramel yogurt
freckled with white chocolate chips
of the cruel girls in Mrs. Carson's class
who called her lardo and freak
and the cruelest thing of all--
that meteors that would soon smash into Earth
like during the dinosaurs' age
she pleaded with the stones
that maybe, just maybe
if the spirits inside woke up
they could help her save the world
even those awful, nasty girls
and that the spirits should know the glories
of frozen yogurt with chocolate chips
that they could all be the best of friends
within her fist
the stones stirred