No, I Have No

No, I have no money 

for you today.

It's all spent.

It's all gone away.

There are doctors bills, groceries,

and rent to pay.

You'll get your funds. . . 

but I'm afraid not today.

No, I have no time

to give you, my friend.

I'm not sure where the day flew - 

we've seen its end.

Yesterday's gone, today's gone, 

tomorrow's spoken for before it begins.

Yes, I will see you, when it becomes convenient for all.

Seems right now not speaking remains the trend.

No, I have no sanity

to retain for myself.

I can't balance this all. 

I need some more help.

But how can I ask for anything

when I can't share the wealth?

I'll exist over here.

Just with them. And myself.

Poem

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, rock-a-bye, Lullaby loo).
Dishes are waiting and bills are past due
(pat-a-cake, darling, and peek-peek-a-boo).
The shopping is not done and there's nothing for stew
And out in the yard there is a hullabaloo.
But I'm playing "Kanga" and this is my "Roo."
Look! Aren't his eyes the most wonderful hue?
(lullaby, rock-a-bye, 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.

~Ruth Hulburt Hamilton, 1958