Song lyrics- pinecones

Another song that is in pretty good shape, I think. I'm not so sure about how to end the first verse, which is why I have the alternate lines between slashes. Any suggestions? Also, does the last verse give a useful additional perspective or distract?

My planned accompaniment has my usual combination of oboe, bass clarinet and cello, with a loose-headed tambourine and maybe a tar for percussion, playing in simultaneous 4/4 against 7/8. That might prove distracting; I still haven't decided on it.

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Pinecones

Two pinecones in our back yard,
the only two within the fence.
Brought in by a small child’s wish,
they don’t belong./why are they here?/they now belong.

They stand out from the fallen leaves,
perfect brown anomalies.

They will not join the earth yet.
They do not crumble or decay
while they are toys in little hands
that keep them here.

They stand out from the fallen leaves,
perfect brown anomalies.

Some instruments are still played,
surviving through the centuries.
Polished by hands that intervene,
they persevere.

They stand out from the fallen leaves,
perfect brown anomalies.

I like the chorus a lot. In the first verse, I felt "they now belong" worked the best.. I kept wanting to get a better sense of the emotional connection of the pinecones to the writer. In that vein, I thought the last verse was a good addition rather than a distraction.

Those are useful thoughts, thanks.