Because I Strayed Poem by Francie Lynch

They wouldn't be
If it were not for me;
I'm not talking about conception;
The work began at birth.
Decades of toiling,
And personal deprivation
To deliver the essentials,
The saving for school,
The resources used
For lessons and coaches,
Trips, gadgets and clothes,
The bed-time readings,
The front seat shows,
And all the ingredients for success.
They wouldn't be,
If it wasn't for me,
Yet they turn away
Because I strayed
From the image they fashioned for me.