He stands alone

In a small empty room.

Behind him,

scrawled in big, ugly letters

are two short words:

TOO STUPID

He cowers, his lip trembles

and he hangs his head in shame

from this cruel world

that he can never understand.

The words behind him

weigh him down.

Crushing him.

 

In the next room

is an old man.

He is weak, and frail.

He can barely lift his head.

He was with his family yesterday.

But now

they are gone.

And he is here alone.

Two words hang over his head.

TOO OLD.

 

A third room

There is a tiny girl.

She is curled up

In the corner

Crying silently.

Words cover the walls of her cell.

TOO SOON.

 

As you step outside this prision,

there is one more word

Painted in red across a simple door.

UNWANTED.

 

If I could change 

one thing

in this entire chaotic world

That door and those walls would be wiped clean.

Weary heads would lift toward open arms;

toward soft voices 

that call their names.

 

Because now

They are accepted.

They are loved.

They are WANTED.