The Meanest Mom

This is for my daughter, who works so hard to keep it all together.

My mom is the meanest mom for blocks

she makes me sort and fold my socks
my mom is the meanest mom, oh man!
I must feed the cat and clean out her pan
make my bed, make my lunch, pick up my messes
why she’s so awful, I only have guesses.

Other kids’ mothers for sure aren’t that way

they do their work and let their kids play
my mom says someday I will be older
and have a burden I’ll need to shoulder
I’ll need to do my part, says she
somehow she thinks she’s helping me!

Today I struggled down the stairs

with a  trash can full of old parts and spares
of pieces of toys I hide under my bed
that make my mommy just shake her head
then I put the can back where it used to be
and my mommy, she turned and smiled at me.

The tired in her eyes just sparkled away

I felt a good feeling that lasted all day
maybe my mom is not really that mean
maybe she needs me to help her keep clean
the house we all live in and mess up each day
so she can have time to go out and play.