'The Old Lady Who Lives in a Shoe'

Yes, that was how she felt at one time,
more than two decades ago ...
that must be how she felt -
that old lady who lived in a shoe:
for she had seven children and a dog
(and a weekend lifemate)
all living in her shoe-house,
the eldest was twenty-three,
the youngest, her own, four-plus-three ...

Cook, chauffeur, cleaner,
caretaker, bedmaker, homemaker,
nursemaid, laundry maid, pick-up maid -
all rolled into one: the shoe lady!
full of drive, full of energy,
but filled with remorse,and silent anger,
high in expectations, but low in spirits -
that was how the shoe lady lived, indeed ...!

Day after day, and after-day and after-day
she found it hard to slog alone,
while others sit and wait to be waited upon,
chatting happily, reading the news or watching tv,
not lifting any sweet little painted nail:
the youngers, too young to know,
the elders, too old to scold
so the smiles got less, and less -

then the shoe lady thought of a way -
to teach some manners in a subtle way:
placing little love notes everywhere -
for all to read and understand,
that life is more than 'I, Me, Myself and My Own'
but also we, ours, ourselves and things that we all own
have to be taken care of - not just used, and thrown-
displaced, discarded, or disowned ...

SOME HOME RULES, it says, and
(if you can't be of help,
at least don't be a burden to others) ...
i wonder if any of them remember those lines still -
or if they remember the old lady who lives in the shoe,
who had that written out and hanging in the kitchen, still ...

"If you sleep on it, make it up,
if you wear it, hang it up,
if you drop it, pick it up,
if you empty it, fill it up,
if you eat out of it, wash it,
if you step on it, wipe it off,
if you open it, close it,
if it rings, answer it,
if it howls, feed it,
if it cries, love it;"

If it is yours, take it,
if it isn't, ask to use it,
if it is dirty, clean it,
if you can't clean it, then don't use it,
if you've taken something, put it back,
if you've borrowed anything, return it,
if you've lost it, replace it,
if you've hurt someone, apologise for it,
if you're set some task,do it,
if you don't learn to give, don't expect to receive,
if you are angry, think of nice things to do for others,
if something is dear to you, all the more you should share it,
if you have nothingelse to give, why not a SMILE?

and the longest love note that she sent
was in reply to a complaint for a lack of privacy and space:
WHAT ABOUT ME? WHAT ABOUT ME? she had asked
in a love note that stretched for a whole week ...
and at the end of the week, at the start of the weekend
one of the brood mumbled to her toes, for the first time:
"I'll be in KL for the weekend - back on Sunday evening ..."
and the old lady nodded to her mop and pail,
without looking up at the puffed lids, and the swollen eyes ...
and remembered the long laments she had poured out
on the complainant's pillow that week:
which had finally brought about an insight to her hurt feelings:
being treated like a chambermaid, a housekeeper,
a chauffeur and a cook, nothing more -
never as a thinking, feeling aunt,
or ever as a loving god mother, to all...