Words Hurt

That girl you called a crybaby?

She had just told her friends

she wanted to die.

When you called her a crybaby,

she was at the edge.

You just pushed her off.

That boy you called a clumsy jock?

Yeah, those scars and bruises

aren't from tripping and falling.

They're from his dad.

The one time of day he could forget,

you reminded him of his pain.

That girl you called the teacher's pet?

She's in therapy for severe anxiety.

She gets extra time for tests

because her fears slow her down.

She doesn't have to present to the whole class

because her teacher knows she would freeze.

She presents to her teacher during lunch.

But now? Now you made her feel ashamed for having anxiety.

That boy you called an uncool nerd?

He has to study day and night

not because he wants to,

but because if he doesn't get a full scholarship to college,

his family can't afford to send him at all.

You just made him feel like an outcast

through no fault of his own.

When you make fun of somebody,

do you have any idea what you're saying?

Does it ever cross your mind?

Or do you think your words

are too small to hurt?

If you do, imagine a pinprick

in a painful first degree burn.

That's your words.

Author's Note

Written in 2016