Beware, those who care,
exhaustion and despair
catch you unaware,
as life passes you by.
Fatigue flops down,
pinning you to the ground,
fixed smile turned to frown.
You struggle on and try.
Constant calls on your time
turn life into a climb.
Trudging through grime,
you’re questioning why.
Ears always tuned to hear
demands, short breath or fear.
Your own dreams disappear
and your hopes run dry.
Beware, the carer’s curse:
Depression, emptiness or worse.
When did you turn into a nurse?
When did your own happiness die?
7/10/2026
This is a sincere poem that carries itself with the honesty of lived experience. The fourth stanza in particular stands out in the way it captures the constant state of watching and waiting for the next need to arise. The weight of it is, in itself, exhausting.