Thank You

This one is for the childless mother
with the child bearing hips
that carry babies from another
a sigh on her lips.
This one is for the unloved
the unlovable,
with the heart on her sleeve,
sleeps on one side of a bed
That people always leave.
This one is for the lonely
This one for the lost
This one for the protectors
who give at no cost
to any but themselves.

This one is for the heartbroken
with love unspoken
on the tips of their tongue
this one for the righteous
who did no wrong.
Whilst they are sitting
knitting booties
and mittens
for little hands
and feet
never once
admitting their defeat.
The ones who raise us
though not bore
the ones who care
and never ask more.

If you are thinking this is you
you are probably right
as you sit in your arm chair
home for the night
while others are partying
we are tucked in tight,
You scare the monsters
from our closets
and the demons
under our bed,
an arm for your pillow
tea to soothe your head.

You are unthanked,
forgotten,
but remember, in time
your hard work repaid
in the sound of a rhyme.

The days that you fought
kicked, spat and screamed
scraped nails in the dirt
to stop splitting at the seams.
The days that seemed endless,
pointless and still
essential and altering
to all until
your voice quaked (and quivered)
restoring all faith
to give sense and purpose
and bring us these days
when crying comes from laughter
instead of the pain
the moments of moments
when all is the same.

This one for the childless mothers
This one for the lovers unloved
This one for the unthanked and forgotten.
This one is for you.