Albert Einstein reads his books

while Mrs. Einstein sews and cooks.

He sits and thinks deep, deep, thoughts

while Mrs. E. darns his socks.

And while Mrs. Einstein scrubs the bath,

Al sits downstairs working math.

She takes out the garbage and washes the floor,

cuts out coupons and goes to the store.

She mows the lawn and does the wash;

she fixes the roof out over the porch.

She scrubs the toilet and unclogs the sink,

and all the while Al sits and thinks.

And when Al finally comes to bed

with abstract concepts still filling his head,

he’s ready to tell the Mrs. his thoughts so deep,

but Mrs. Einstein is sound asleep.

April 1995