to meg 12/12/20

how dare you reduce motherhood 
to communist principles for clicks

how dare you 
imply
we are all with you on this

a gardener plants, prunes, waits through winter
not because she sees dirt under her nails and wants dollars to bloom
she does it 
for the flowers

don't you realize
you cannot be a mother without creating
from the depths of your soul and the literal cells of your uterus
we do it for the flowers

they are the most creative work
we could ever do
why don't you want to give them everything, expecting nothing?
why?
why?

you must love this job enough
to do it for free
if you don't
you're not 
actually doing the job

who are you to reduce my destiny
my flesh and blood
to a number of dollars?

who are you to infect the perspectives of those whose backs don't ache from leaning over the tub

who remember exactly where that one Lego is

how
dare
you
imply
we 
expect
something
for
this

we knew
before it all began
that it would be worth it
even when it wasn't
even when they screamed and kicked
and refused dinner
and clung when the babysitter arrived

we 
knew
it 
would
be 
worth
so
much
more
that's
why
we
took
the
job

meg,

don't become one of them
who measures his worth
in inches
in paystubs
in job titles

do everything
do it for free
decide to love it because you 
love them
and when you don't love it, do it
anyway
because 
it has never been about money
but i guess
for you
it is