In light of Stage 4 restrictions extended, Covid Life and RUOK Day I wrote this poem. It is a poem for change for ‘we the women’ and the career mums who feel stuck.
This story begins long before now, where women have big dreams.
Dreams of something greater than what smuggles self-esteem.
First it must be said, that each woman to her own,
But surely with this sentiment, I am not alone.
Growing up we’re told that we can have it all,
We can choose our career of hearts’ content, and feel as tall as tall.
When a woman becomes a mum there’s no doubt the joy it brings,
But with it there are duties that will inherently clip our wings.
Our choices are diminished, our earnings are fragmented,
Because we are the women and so what’s ours becomes lamented.
And with it loss of confidence, capacity to earn,
Financial freedom, independence and the ability to learn.
Determination, grit, resilience; all bubbling in the making,
While tears stream down our cheeks as we continue baking.
The breeze of echoed voices, we love those little smiles,
But it’s not separate to the mountaintops, we dreamed we’d climb for miles.
“Enjoy this now, for it won’t last long”, you’re lucky to be a mum,”
And yes we’re grateful for the privilege and we adore our little ones.
“Be careful dear for you must play the game of staying small,”
“Like we once did, and do right now, this is having it all.”
“Patience Miss your time will come; when children leave the nest,”
But by then momentum gone, and we’ll be far from our best.
“Be grateful, know you’re lucky and how dare you complain,”
But what is missed with thoughts like this is the importance of staying sane.
Once again we’re hidden, amidst our Covid lives,
We plotted ways to rewrite history and expectations on the wives.
The song of freedom, he gets to work, while we stay home to be,
“But what if staying and not going is really just not me.”
We diffuse our potential, to the walls within the home,
Walk away or at least for now, again, the career seeds you’ve grown and sewn.
Our time to work beyond, will come but for now we shall wait,
For there’s a pandemic on our streets, “you must stay behind your gate”.
Golden moments in the sun from dawn to dark, yet with some fear,
That around and ‘round in circles this might be another year.
So we wait and wait some more for our time to shine,
“Don’t lose hope your time is coming and things will be just fine.”
And so the women waited, for their time to work on more,
To move beyond the dusting because quite frankly, it’s a bore.
We made art, we home-schooled, we cooked, we cleaned on repeat,
We waited for our turn to work while we circled with our feet.
For we have learnt to bide our time, and diffuse our power,
“The time for thinking for you my dear shall be only in the shower.”
We dreamed for the little women and the ones on their way,
That footholds could be created to ensure their dreams could stay in play.
Even if we women chooses to be a mum,
May there be cultural progress that supports the women-who-work to come.
So we gather ‘around the TV waiting for the news,
For the day we can return to business at the level we so choose.
One day we’ll look back at this time; when we were pioneers,
We’ll notice how work-life balance was floored for men and women throughout the years.
Modern parents with greater choice, equal payment long overdue.
Old ways become defunct and we make way for the new.
Just like we’ve seen how possible it is to work from home,
Big change can happen for us all, so women don’t feel quite so alone.
It’s a change that will happen for the little women yet to come,
They’ll be more opportunity; collectively seen as one.
We’ll see families in equal parts working as a team,
Because society opens doors for women to fulfil dreams.
“I see you dear, I hear you and that wobble in the voice,
Keep dreaming for your dreams; they will become your choice”.
By Jade Roberts.
Jade Roberts is the founder and director of raraPR, a boutique creative PR agency based in Melbourne, Australia. Jade is dedicated to creating sustainable PR options for businesses doing good in a kind PR environment centred on mentorship. Jade is a published writer for both national magazines and retail brands and has extensive agency and in-house experience, having worked as a publicist in commercial television and as a consultant in consumer public relations and brand positioning.
