ABOUT MOTHERHOOD

Do you ever wonder why you ever wanted to be a mother in the first place? I mean, isn't it ironic that most of us chose this job? In fact, many of us have even gone to great lengths to be here. Yet so often it seems the rewards come in fleeting moments and mostly it's a matter of plugging along, telling yourself "it's just a stage." Here is an old poem I wrote on the topic.

About Motherhood

They call it motherhood -
this process of
wiping and changing
loving and teaching
comforting and scolding.

They expect you to know
just what to do
when he falls off his tricycle
wakes from a bad dream
or takes a toy from his brother.

And they say you are responsible
for his self-esteem
his social skills
and his intelligence.

They say motherhood
is a wonderful experience.
And I wonder

just what is so wonderful?

The long hours?
The endless piles of laundry?
The not knowing what to do?

Then I see him.
Pretending
to be a train.
His little shoes
shuffling along the carpet.

Choo-choooo, he says.
Then I remember.

-Irene Latham