Yes, Dear
This life that we have, it’s been hard dear
It’s not gone the way that we thought
Just trying to keep treading water
To just stay afloat, it’s been fraught.
You work so hard this I know dear
This story is not one of blame
We live the same life, you and I do
Together but just not the same
My body is tired from the labour
It is stretched, it is broken, in pain.
“The woman you married” is somewhere
Buried under the burden and strain
I don’t recognise what I see now
In the mirror at 1 in the morn
I’m tired from being on call now
All day and all night, to perform.
I’m up all night with the baby
The toddler many a night too
No rest for the wicked in the day
There’s work, and the house and there’s you.
There’s teenagers, shopping and cooking
There’s cleaning and washing to do
There’s drop offs and pickups etc
There’s my work and more and there’s you.
Im pulled from pillar to post
Not even a shower alone
The constant demand, it is draining
Even driving, you’re there on the phone
Refilling my jobs list on each call
Do this dear, do that, what’s for tea?
Sometimes, although you can’t hear me
Im crying, so silently
I know I get stressed and you’re fed up
Of seeing me with ‘the face on’
But darling I’m tired of being
Invisible in my own home
We sit every evening in darkness
Our phones in front of our face
We don’t seem to talk anymore now
We’re tired from running this race
You’re tired from working all day
Come wind, rain or shine, hail or snow
You come home to a lovely hot shower
A dinner, a rest, watch a show
The freedom you have, I resent it
You’re not on call when you sleep,
A bike ride, the garage, the shower ,
With only your own self to keep
I come home from working all day too
To wash and to clean and to cook
The kids to bath, teeth brushed and bedtime
And settle them down with a book
The weekends aren’t much better either
No sleep, no lazing in bed
“What do you want to do” dear you ask me
What I want is to sleep, as I’ve said
But sleep don’t come easy to mama
I’m tired but rest just won’t come
Everybody else to look after
Who’ll look after me when I’m done?
So before you label me grumpy,
Or say I’m a cow or a witch
Please remember how hard I am working
Sometimes it makes me ‘a bitch’
I’m working to keep your dreams going
Your family, your house and your card
Your business and yes you aswell dear
And sometimes it’s pushing too far
There’s only so much I can do dear
I’m human, just like you all
And this task that is laid on my shoulders
Is making me feel oh so small.
I hate that I’m having to ask dear
I hate that I need help at all
But I’m tired of fighting and nagging
I’m tired, just tired, that’s all.
I’m trying to keep it together
But I need your help, this can you hear
Don’t fight me, please, this i beg you
For once, can you please, say “yes dear”
“Yes Dear” to me having a nap
“Yes Dear” to a cuddle or kiss
“Yes Dear I’ll do bathtime and stories”
“Yes Dear” just once, would be bliss