The Simplest Gesture Poem by Jim Yerman

The new girl entered the classroom…
and though the students were informed
They could not help but stare at her…
her features were deformed.

Teacher gave her a big hug…
Come, let me show you to your seat.
"Class, this beautiful girls standing next to me
"I'd like you all to meet."

"This is our new student Sally." Teacher said,
as she led her down the aisle
and as Sally sat behind her desk…
she saw the other students smile.

Every classmate was smiling at her…
even those sitting in the back
Sally could not help herself…
she had to smile back.

Sally came up to teacher at the end of the day
"Thank you." she said, "for not putting me on the spot."
"For making me feel beautiful…
even though you know I'm not."

"I saw your beauty when you entered my room." Teacher said.
"Oh don't look so surprised! "
"I knew that you were beautiful
when I looked into your eyes."

"None of us are perfect."……teacher smiled
"So don't ever be misled
because you don't have to be perfect…
to be beautiful." she said.

That simple lesson long ago
has taken Sally far…
and she begins each day by telling her students
just how beautiful they are.

For she understands her students come to her
with their own struggles…their own strife
and how sometimes the simplest gesture
can change a person's life.