the little girl with no hair

the children were cruel
they laughed and pointed
their parents not much better
encouraged and sniggered
behind false smiles

looks like she’s had a headful of nits
said one, shaking her head in disgust
it must have been nasty too
and the children chanted
nit head, nit head, nit head…

and the little girl with no hair
smiled with knowing

looks like she just came out of a refugee camp
said another, with a loud sniff
she’s got skinny arms and legs
and the children chanted
refugee head, refugee head, refugee head…

and the little girl with no hair
smiled with understanding

looks like she’s from one of those religious cults
said another, nodding with disdainful eyes
you can tell by the way she talks
and the children chanted
cult head, cult head, cult head…

and the little girl with no hair
smiled with kindness

the little girl with no hair

looks like you have no heart
said another, his voice loud and clear
she has an illness; a deadly disease
that no child should ever endure
and the children chanted
no heart, no heart, no heart…

and the little girl with no hair
smiled with hope

the children stopped being cruel
and they stopped laughing and pointing
and the parents watched in awe
as their children rallied around
the little girl with no hair

and the little girl
smiled with gratitude
and forgiveness
and her laughter overflowed
with love and happiness