It's the Inside that Counts

I've been reading this book No Body's Perfect and it has some very good stories in it. Sort of like a Chicken Soup for the Soul book. In it are many poems and there was one I really wanted to share with all of you. (actually there's many which I may post later.)

It's the Inside that Counts

Once upon a time, not too long ago,
There lived an old man by the name of Joe.

Joe made dolls of all shapes and sizes.
Some wore coats and some wore disguises.

They ranged in colors from black to white,
And came in all sizes from heavy to light.

There were some that were simple and some could light up,
Others would talk and never shut up.

Each doll was different, no two were the same,
And every doll had its own name.

Roger resembled a star football player,
And William looked a lot like the mayor.

Bertha was short, a bit round and quite plain,
While Jenny was pretty and destined for fame.

Joe sold the dolls in a small, redbrick store,
Twelve hours a day people came through the door.

Folks bought the dolls for kids, sisters, and brothers.
Needless to say, some sold better than others.

The boys liked the ones
That held knives and ray guns.

A doll with long hair and a long, puffy dress,
Is usually the one that the girls liked the best.

Some people collected one of each kind.
Others had one special figure in mind.

One day a girl, who was unlike the rest,
Came in to pick out the doll she liked best.

She would randomly pick out a doll from the pile,
Keeping her eyes closed, she would hold it a while.

Then ever so careful, she'd put that doll back,
And pick up another doll from the rack.

Joe watched the girl as she held Annie, then Nick,
Secretly wondering which doll she would pick.

Then she picked up a doll no one handled before,
Not noticing the face or the clothes that it wore.

The doll had loose seams and was missing a leg,
And the clothes that it wore were made out of a rag.

The hair on the doll was like the hair of a clown,
And the face of the doll bore an unpleasant frown.

This doll was about as worn out as they came.
It was the only doll that didn't have a name.

But as the girl held it, she knew with no doubt,
That this was the doll she'd been dreaming about.

Joe rang up the doll and when he was done,
The total came to $3.71.

As she gave him the money she said, "It's too bad,
The doll that I want has a face that's so sad."

"What made you pick her? She looks such a dread.
Why didn't you choose one with a smile instead?"

The girl looked up at Joe and said, "I just bet,
I know why this doll is so very upset.

She sat on the shelf being the best she could be,
But an ugly old doll was all people would see.

Since no one would hold her, they never found out,
It's not the outside, but the inside that counts."

Joe was impressed by this little girl,
She's one of those people who sees a rock as a pearl.

She was unlike the rest and what set her apart,
Was instead of her eyes, this girl saw with her heart.

Mollie Thill