Angie Kinghorn

Mama cat’s stayin’ home

Workshop prompt: write a poem about the last thing that made you mad
To work, or not to work.
That is the question.
At least, the one everyone’s asking me.
We made our decision, and I’m staying home.
It’s where we feel I need to be.
The better question:
To be paid, or not to be paid?
Because what I do is work.
I have no keycard for the door
but I must run a family of four.
Perfectly?  No.  Acceptably?  Yes.
And even the lower bar equals a lot of stress.
I don’t kiss bottoms to get ahead.
Oh, no, not me.  
I wipe them, instead.
It’s glamorous stuff, this work of a mom.
You get to be nurse, doctor, maid, and chef
teaching, cleaning and cooking
and answering “Why?” with what patience is left.
Forget song lyrics.  
I can quote Pixar and DreamWorks
and if you need to get puke out of a carpet
trust me on this–steam works.  
So, “Do you work?”
Well, let’s see. 
I put clothes in the wash
for me, plus three.
“Are you going to go back?”
No.  I don’t have time.
Besides, who would deal with the dirt and the grime?
And supposing I could find something part time
I am fully aware 
that all my dough would go straight to daycare.
You don’t have to choose it, but some of us did.
Yes, even over corporate careers, God forbid.
So let’s give moms some respect.
Their course is correct.
Even if it’s not one you would affect.
The corporate jungle has nothing so fierce as a mama cat.
Under her lipstick she’s got claws.
She needs them   
to end kiddie brawls.
Want further proof moms work without pay?
Just look at a typical day.
After hours reading Seuss (which is really abuse)
moms put on satin and lace to seduce
despite fears they might (oops) reproduce.
Now that’s dedication
And it should be met with admiration
Rather than snide comments
About not using one’s education.

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Comments

  1. Excellent! Yes, motherhood is a full time job that only a precious few can really handle. I love your take on it – great job!

    Writer's Workshop visiting. Peace. 😉

  3. I love it! And now you've inspired me to want to write on this same topic. Being home with my kids is so much harder than I thought it was going to be…and yet, when I'm away from them I miss the terribly. What's the winning decision in all this?

  5. Thank you all for putting up with my terrible poetry. At some point I would like to write a post (in prose) on this topic.

    What's best is different for every woman and every family. My most fervent wish is that the community at large will one day regard the choice to stay home as just that–a choice, and not an opt-out. It's one of the choices for which our mothers fought, and it deserves as much respect as choosing any other career path.

  7. Angie…it's not “junk” at all!! It's awesome because it's so full of truth and honesty…you rocked it!

    I used to work for a guy and I called him “satan” because he was a tyrant. Hardest boss I ever had to work for…until I became a stay-at-home mom and now have 3 bosses that are waaaaayyyy more difficult! SAHMs have the hardest job out there, but until you do it, you have no idea.

  8. Wow, that's amazing! What a great job putting that together!

    And I love your post. It seems to me that whether or not SAH motherhood is “hard” depends on the person…not everyone can be a doctor, not everyone can be a hair stylist, and not everyone can be a SAH mom. The right choice for each person depends on the person!

    Visiting from WW

  9. OMG you certainly picked the most difficult prompt and you did write a poem. Congrats! I ducked my head and am still trying to figure out what I'm going to write about for Mama Kat's Writer's Workshop.
    I'm following you and will be back…I'm sure you have plenty more where that poem came from!

  10. There's no way I could have picked this prompt! Great job though. Thanks for your comments. Glad I have a few supporters. While I don't feel my post was controversial, you never know who reads your blog and how they will react. You can definitely link my post on your blog. I'm your newest follower, btw!!!

  12. OK, that's just awesome.

    This is not a bad poem! It is a great poem!

    A poem filled with emotion and truth and anger and sadness and triumph. Choices are difficult in this thing called parenting, and no choice comes without costs. Learning to live with less than everything is the hard part.

    Love this post.

    You rock.

  15. I have always loved the Seuss. If I get to choose which book that is. Because read Green Eggs and Ham? I would not, could not in a box. I would not, could not with a fox.