Battle-ships (for moms)

PAD Challenge day 9:For today’s prompt, take the phrase “Battle (blank);” replace the blank with a word or phrase; make the new phrase the title of your poem; and then, write your poem. Possible titles include: “Battle Tested,” “Battle of the Sexes,” “Battle of the Bands,” and “Battle of the Bulge.”

You know those days…

the ones where you don’t look at the bill ‘cause you just wanna keep on feeling good a little longer.

The ones with question we don’t ask because we’re afraid of the answer.

The ones that reminds us Time and mirrors do not flatter.

The ones when it seems every room hounds Housekeeper with “hello, over here…dust, dirt, foot-finger-prints?!!”

( even though it feels like you live with a vacuum, mop and cleaning cloth attached to your hand?!)

I was having one Of Those;

…then Judy posts Practice Resurrection

 and blesses the blah right out of the mess

and happiness of mother/housewife-hood! 

Hard to watch

you dig a hole

you seem determined

to see through

And learn to let go

and let God,

like our mothers

had to, too

We reconcile

The smiles we wear

To lines that never

Used to be

We teach of faith

Though faith in God

Will always be
a mystery

We pray, oh-ho

We pray

Often tongue-tied

and oh. so. small.

Stunned by what

Once we thought we knew

But never

Knew at all

We reach for skies

crawl, where good-byes

rattle the heart

soft caged

in the human breast

like a little nest

withstanding the winds

that rage

...where we grasp chores

like sturdy chairs

Anchored by Duty's

emblem

through battles we bear

like our mothers before

and their mothers

before them

© Janet Martin