Adam Guettel
The Beauty Is (Reprise)
[MARGARET, spoken]
When Clara was 12, we rented a Shetland pony for her birthday party. And she and her friends were leading the pony around. And I turned to get the phone. And the pony kicked her

(sung)
Here, she fell
It seemed to take forever for her to fall
You know in those moments
When momentous things happen
So slowly
I reach
Like these paintings in the old tradition
There's a figure reaching out in them like so
And to me it is the most familiar tableau
I know

So much wanting something
So much reaching for it
So much wishing just to have one moment back
So much being patient
So much blind acceptance
I know
No, I don't know

A mother here in Italy
A mother here alone
I thought if I had a child
I would take such care of her
So much reaching for it
So much holding breath and keeping fingers crossed
Watching over my
My little lost
Clara!
If I could
Then I would paint it over
I would be there and I woldn't turn away
If I only had a chance to not turn away

And the beauty is
And the beauty is
The beauty is