I am a woman. <br />I am strong, because I cannot be weak. <br />I hold everything together, take care of everyone. <br />I am on call all day, every day, all week. <br />I get no sick days, no vacations, no time to cry alone. <br />I take care of everyone else and get all the grief as payment in full. <br />I work from morning until night. <br />And am expected to still have time to be beautiful. <br />At every turn, I am told what I should look, act, and feel like. <br />I am expected to still perform after hours. <br />I am expected to never complain, though I hear everyone's cries. <br />I hardly have time for decent showers. <br />I wish I remember what it was like to shave my thighs. <br />Sometimes I just want to wake up at night and drive away. <br />I want to just drive and drive and drive. <br />And climb up to the top of a tower at midday. <br />And close my eyes and just dive, dive, dive...<br /><br />Ashley Jarrett<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/woman-49/
