People Who Take Care -- Nancy Henry

People who take care of people
get paid less than anybody
people who take care of people
are not worth much
except to people who are
sick, old, helpless, and poor
people who take care of people
are not important to most other people
are not respected by many other people
come and go without much fuss
unless they don’t show up
when needed
people who make more money
tell them what to do
never get shit on their hands
never mop vomit or wipe tears
don’t stand in danger
of having plates thrown at them
sharing every cold
observing agonies
they cannot tell at home
people who take care of people
have a secret
that sees them through the double shift
that moves with them from room to room
that keeps them on the floor
sometimes they fill a hollow
no one else can fill
sometimes through the shit
and blood and tears
they go to a beautiful place, somewhere
those clean important people
have never been.
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And just one more.  I am frequently asked why I do what I do, why I don't do something else, don't seek a job that doesn't try to eat the soul out of me on a regular basis.  This poem says it, I think.  Teachers are people who take care, too, after all.  I might print a copy of this off and keep it somewhere I can see it behind my desk.