Words are strong

Words are powerful

Words are baggage. . .

First stop, the hotel.

As I walk in, I pass people at the desk.

“Look at her clothes,” one of them says.

“They’re covered with grime,” another says,

As I pick up the heavy bag by the elevator.

Second stop, the diner.

I walk straight into my best friend.

“Why are you so clumsy?”

She asks, grabbing the fallen food.

“Sorry,” I say, grabbing the bag by the table.

Third stop, my house.

I walk into my brother’s party.

“Why do you have to be so uncool?”

He asks, while his friends are laughing at me.

I hold back tears and grab the bag by the fireplace.

Fourth stop, the cleaners.

I open the door and walk right into somebody.

“I’m so sorry,” she begins and then freezes.

I wait for the insult but it doesn’t come.

Instead she says, “You’re beautiful”.

I burst into tears and she pulls me into a hug.

All day I’d been made fun of.

All day I’d been called names.

All day I’d felt like nobody.

Then comes this stranger,

This random person

Who calls me beautiful

It didn’t seem possible

Than she picked up a bag, and slung it over her shoulder

and walked over to a machine, and began washing them.

I joined her, feeling better than I had ever been in my life

Tomorrow, there was going to be less laundry to do.