I see a magazine at the checkout
A half naked woman is on the cover
and rude words are splayed across the paper
I wonder who writes such crap

I see a little girl staring at the woman
whose body is obviously altered
Please don't listen to those lies,
I silently plead with her in my head

I see another girl looking at the magazine
This one is older, a teenager
She picks up the tabloid and flips through
"WEIGHT LOSS TIPS" is where she stops

I want to tell them both that they are not fat
I want to tell them that they don't need to listen
they don't need to look
they don't need to change

But I already know it's too late
when they both buy a copy
and leave
I sigh and try not to think about it too much