Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Occupation-less


I’ve never really done anything,

She stammers, beneath the shrewd gaze of a peer

waiting with pen poised.

That is, nothing worth mentioning, really.

I’ve read stories, wiped grubby, chubby hands. I’ve kissed tears.

I’ve rocked little girls and boys to sleep,

and picked up an ocean of toys.

I’ve mended clothes and sometimes even a tender heart or two,

But I can’t think of anything worth mentioning to you...

-as the peer awaited an explanation for a title

to post beside ‘Occupation’.

I’m not sure what to say other

Than, I am a mother.

A stay-at-home mom some call it,

…and I suppose it is a cool name

For the one who attends every hockey game,

dentist appointment,

school recital,

Christmas play,

check-up,

shopping trip,

rides to and from friends,

teacher meeting,

The list in detail never really ends…

A name for the laundress, the gardener, the baker,

The cleaning lady, florist and bed-maker,

The cook, the nurse,the seamstress, the tutor and teacher too,

The artist to point out rare shades of green and blue

Or the red beginning to frost the autumn maple tree…

But it’s nothing to put on a resume`…

Now if you will kindly excuse me,

There’s laundry to be done,

At three ‘o clock I must pick up my son.

And the salsa I mixed up last night still needs to be boiled.

I should can it today before it is spoiled.

I wish I could tell you in a word or two

Exactly what it is that I do

But it seems I cannot think of any other

Title, besides the word…mother.

Janet~


Apparently 'mother' is not an acceptable occupation on a resume`:)

10 comments:

  1. Homemaker. Making a house a home is a full-time job, and I LOVE how you've captured how it's often unrecognized... professionally at least. In the end, the professionals may have a long list of credentials following their name, but a mother... a "homemaker" will have a line of people with long lists of how she made a REAL difference in their world!

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  2. Megan, Amen and amen. To know this is enough:) Home is heaven's hearth!
    Homemaking must then be a toil fit for angels??? h-m-m-m, never quite thought of it that way before!

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  3. Well, some might say their mother is an angel... so I'd say homemaking is fit for an angel :)

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  4. I'm loving this discussion. I'll try to remember this take on it the next time I'm scrubbing a badly-burnt pot ...or the toilet!

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  5. We're angels doing everyone else's dirty work ;) I too shall remember this conversation!

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  6. As a calling, an occupation or a career, I can think of none more important. The benefit package doesn't appear anywhere but in the heart.

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  7. ...and oh, what a benefit package it is!

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  8. Here from Poet's United. What an awesome tribute to moms and all of the hard work they do! If this is occupation-less, I'm wondering what occupation-more would look like.

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  9. wordcoaster, Thank-you for visiting and for your comments. Yes, most of the time I smile politely with a civil reply to 'you don't work'? And no one who asks the question actually asks it in a derogatory way. They simply imagine lemonade in the shade...:)

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I hope you enjoyed your pause on this porch and thank-you for your visit!