That idea never entered my mind
After all, my life was defined
By the mantra, you can do it all
Reach the glass ceiling, break every wall..
The idea that this could be a lie
The idea that the bar could be set unreasonably high
Was outside my sphere of comprehension
I would do it all, it was my intention
*
Despite roadblocks along the way
Nothing in the world would let me sway
Away from the path that quite frankly appeared
To be the only one, nothing else was feasible, I feared
So I played by the rulebook, doing everything right
Good grades, good college, good ethics, the goal in sight
*
As time went by responsibilities grew
Raising a family in the suburbs was a challenge new
Juggling a career where I hoped to make a mark
While caring for the home was no walk in the park
To succeed at work I had to pretend I did not
Have childcare responsibilities, even as I sought
To raise my children by modern parenting guidelines
With supervision at every level, paying attention to details fine
Healthy snacks, enrollment in activities, involvement
In PTA activities, fundraisers, school projects- all this meant
A never-ending race against energy and time
While dealing with subtle signs of age-related decline
That had to be minimized or hidden at every cost-
With make-up, hair color, exercise- meaning more time lost
In doing busywork, leaving no time to spare
To think, indulge or relax, or practice self-care
*
Then there was the omnipresent social media ostentation
That I could not ignore- the pinterest faces of self-promotion
That seemed to show that there were women like me
Who had it all pulled together, quite neatly
*
I wonder if it’s only partially true
That women can do it all-yes they can do
All the things I have mentioned, just not all together
Given time and space, any storm they can weather
It is time to demolish the myth once and for all
Let hard-working mothers take charge, before they fall
Passion...unbridled 