WATCHIN'S HELPIN'



Sprinklin' clothes for ironing,
Stretchin' wet jeans to dry.
Washin' breakfast dishes,
Listenin' for baby's cry.
Daily chores, routine and safe,
Except for little hands
Tryin' to help--mostly in the way--
Compoundin' the other demands.
A patient mother's hardest chore:
Keepin' little hands at bay;
Lettin' em try, then buildin' their pride
With assurance that, "Watchin's helpin'."

Already their next generation of young
Knows the pride in keeping still.
Granny's curative phrase in a family mainstay,
Passin' on that heart-saving pill.
No cries of lazy or feelings of lacking
Outlast the finesse in that phrase,
As she works with her life's mate, as you make her hesitate,
There's comfort in "Watchin's helpin'."