Babies Don't Keep

My mom shared this poem at my sister-in-law's baby shower back in 2010. I read it aloud to the group of ladies, and all who were mothers got choked up. Not being a mother myself yet, I didn't fully understand why they were so emotional. Well... now I do. I cherish every snuggle, every lullaby, every opportunity to rock my baby because I won't be able to forever. I must put aside the chores I sometimes find so important because babies don't keep. 

Mother, oh Mother,

come shake out your cloth,

empty the dustpan,

poison the moth,

hang out the washing

and butter the bread,

sew on a button and make up a bed.

Where is the mother whose house

is so shocking?

She's up in the nursery,

blissfully rocking.

Oh, I've grown shiftless as Little

Boy Blue (lullaby, rockaby, lullaby loo).

Dishes are waiting and bills are past due

(pat-a-cake, darling, and peek, peekaboo).

The shopping's not done

and there's nothing for stew

and out in the yard there's a hullabaloo

but I'm playing Kanga and this is my Roo.

Look! Aren't her eyes the most wonderful hue?

(lullaby, rockaby, lullaby loo).

The cleaning and scrubbing

will wait till tomorrow,

for Children grow up,

as I've learned to my sorrow.

So quiet down, cobwebs.

Dust go to sleep.

I'm rocking my baby and babies don't keep......

~Author Unknown ~