Mum

By Alexandria Stephens

You will not let the light loose from your eyes 
Your trudging step hidden behind 
A smile wound like a watch 
And held in place to lift everyone else's sorrow 

You rise to calls that you are a warrior 
Hero of our cause, give us more 
And you do so, without quarrel 
But you will be low-skilled again tomorrow 

They sneer at your position
Nursery nurse, who needs those?  
Little do they know 
Just how essential you really are 

A teacher with knowledge shared 
A mother when tears are shed 
A healer when knees are grazed 
And a cleaner at the end of the day

You are every key worker 
Locked into a contract you never signed
Putting your life on the line 
For someone else’s child

I wish they could know 
Those men in Westminster  
Your trudging footsteps 
I wish they could follow 

See your tired smile wound up like a watch 
And held in place to lift everyone else’s sorrow

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Written Word ‘Head’ poems