Photo credit: -Vampire Zombie
Keeping your head above water
Is hard on Struggle Street.
The kids are killing me
What with food, health
Forever one of them has a cold
It’s always ‘I wanna I wanna…’
I am running and running and running.
My life is a series of events,
The supermarket
Fill the trolley with breakfast cereal
Liam has to have a kilo of cheese
Mary only white bread
The babies are showing lactose intolerance
My little money
My precious safety net
Going into the mouths of children.
Mornings.
Get them up, dressed
Breakfast! tedium
Lunches! Can I can I
Have ten cents, every one has ten cents
No!
They trudge off downhearted
Their lunches not as everyone else’s
But they have food I tell myself.
Mid morning.
Babies cry, feed me feed me,
Clothes to be washed
Harry throws up,
Mace has shit himself again
I must buy more disposables
I’ll send Liam after school
Should be enough for one small pack.
Babies fed, a moment to stop
A coffee, a second to look out the window.
My life is a continuous circle
I go round and round
Repetition drives me crazy
Maybe the kids are right
I am a crazy lady.
John works two jobs, never sees the kids
He’s hurting too I know.
But it’s about keeping our head above water.
I look around, the kids mess is still there
Washing up to do,
Washing to hang out
Floors to vacuum
Beds to change
Dinners to plan
A half cup more in the soup,
The vegies cut thinner
The illusion of keeping your head above water.
Written for: https://mindlovemiserysmenagerie.wordpress.com/2015/05/12/photo-challenge-60-still-may-12-2015/
Morpethroad 
Ah… Life caught in tangles and there is no way out of this web. Nicely captured Michael
Thanks praj I appreciate you stopping by.
Treading water; for other reasons, know the trying to keep treading water, keep my head above the waves.
oops I keep doing this tonight — I forgot to say what a great description of what goes on in so many women’s lives. Well done!
Thank you so much, I felt pretty happy with how this turned out….
That closing statement is especially powerful Michael. I only have one child but I still recognize the chaos and the struggle of being a one income family
Thanks Yves, it took me a few drafts to get this one, but it was a matter of third time lucky.
Wasn’t it ever great job!
You did it again!! stay at home parenting is work but rarely does a person who has never done it truly grasp that fact. Wonderfully written, MIchael!
Thank you Oliana, I did my fair share of the parenting and the cleaning…..lol
It just doesn’t get easier – the rich get richer, the poorer are stretched beyond thin, and the “middle class” is disappearing.
The “daily grind” and routine – just to survive – whether alone – or with a family to support can be so overwhelming- and grief filled – you’ve captured the essence in spirit very well. A sad but evocative piece 🙂
Thank you MJ I appreciate your comment, lovely words to encourage me….
Nicely penned … not everyone can write such a great poem about the every day life of someone trying to keep their head above water .. a great take on the prompt.
I have felt like this many times – as I’m sure many others have. You captured this quite well.
Thank you Rosy love seeing you drop by.
I always enjoy my visits. And – you are a wonderful host!
Well as you know my door is always open and the kettle is not far off the boil.
So many have shared what I too would have said. Reality of the ‘daze’.
Not at all what the ‘soap operas’ or ‘homes on the hill with nannies and maids’ see in any given day. It is only slightly different when coping with round two… helping with the grands.
But we do what we must to attempt to ‘keep our heads above water’ and helping both our children and our elders do the same.
Thanks for your visit and kind words to ‘Bargain Hunter’. Darkness seems like it is a reality some days. But I try to remember to re-open Pandora’s box and let Hope out daily 🙂