Exhaustion reigns
For the sleepless mom
The be-everywhere
Be-everyone
Mom
With groceries to buy
Mouths to wipe
Scrapes to kiss
Shoulder-rides to give
Bills to pay
Work to be done
Houses to clean
Dishes to wash
Try to take the load off
The studying spouse

All with smiles
Cracking at the seam
Trying to feed
The bodies and souls
To smile
So those little joyous
Feet
Keep
Their light
pitter patter
Unweighed by all the
“You should just…”
“You need to just..”
“You’re doing it wrong”
“You’re ruining those kids”
That break
The seams
And wear her down

But still
She smiles
For those little beings

With hope that
Someday
Maybe they won’t care
What other people think.