Life of a Stay-At-Home Mother: A Poem

I stay home with three children
I start most mornings already tired
I do not feel in control of time
The house fills quickly with noise
Everything I do is unpaid work
I rarely think about myself

I rarely think about myself
because I am responsible for the children
There is always more practical work
Even after sleeping I feel tired
I speak over the constant noise
I wait for small gaps of time

I wait for small gaps of time
to write a few lines for myself
but the rooms stay full of noise
because I am home with the children
This makes my body feel tired
and writing becomes more work

Writing becomes more work
and it has to fit around time
I try to write even when tired
I try to remember I am more than myself
I try to stay patient with the children
I keep typing through the noise

The hardest part is the noise
The second hardest part is the work
But I chose these children
and I know this stage takes time
I do not want to lose myself
even when I am tired

I am tired
I listen to the noise
I wait for more time
I keep doing the work
I stay present with the children
I am still myself

I use my time for the children
I do the work even when I am tired
I live with the noise and keep myself