Basekamp Laundry Mountain

“How are you?” people ask
but they don’t want to know

Floundering, suffocating,
ready to blow

“Fine” say your lips
while the thought bubble reads:

‘I wish there were some way to meet half our needs’

When some try to help
provide lists, recipes

They realize so little
see no forest for trees

When I say “I can’t”
they reply with “poo-poo”

They “know how it is”
and it’s “easy to do”

I hear how I *chose* this-
no right to complain

While they lay the track
that will derail our train

I know that I’m whiny – with no right to be-
but please don’t diminish what it’s like to be me.

-Gretchen Kirby
7-7-09