Motherhood is often portrayed as something pure, beautiful, as one of the most wonderful periods in a woman’s life. Although for many, having a baby is genuinely associated with joy, it is still hard work. This aspect of motherhood is not so often reflected in the literature, but Rita Dove’s poem refers to it. The text of this work demonstrates a short episode from the life of a mother, clearly showing the massive number of worries that women have to deal with every day. Dove writes, “she saw diapers steaming on the line, a doll slumped behind the door,” and thus demonstrates that there are signs of childcare throughout the house. Almost everywhere, you can find details that remind a woman of children and the responsibilities that she has to them.
Although women, after pregnancy, take care of their children at home, this time cannot be called a vacation. Every day, every hour is focused around the child; the mother’s whole life revolves around them. As a result, she practically does not have any time for herself for banal rest and respite. It is this situation and this aspect of motherhood that are reflected in the poem. Dove writes, “So she lugged a chair behind the garage to sit out the children’s naps.” The woman takes a short one-hour break while the children sleep to sit in quiet and observe the world around her. She needs these moments of emptiness, in which she feels herself “pure nothing, in the middle of the day,” to escape from the massive burden of responsibility.
The motherhood and its reflection in this poem can be seen from these small quotes, from the details of the mother’s attitude to what is happening. Personally, I can discern such moments because I have come across them in my life, observing mothers’ everyday lives. When I was in the house of one of them, I saw how the woman was constantly busy with something and had no opportunity to do anything for herself. Observing how much is needed to care for a child, I realized that this is a huge responsibility. Therefore, I find this portrayal of motherhood much more accurate and realistic than the lofty idealistic poems. In reality, mothers are much less likely to think about happiness and ideals and often about what else they need to do while they have time.