Friday, October 15, 2010

The Clean House


Through yonder window
I do peek
while head bends
to the floor.

If only, 
if only the floor
were clean
then I could go outdoors

but no
I labour and 
scrub below
the view of grass still green.

bright promises glint
reflecting day's descent
left darkened on
knees of nevermore.

breezes blow
past brushes path
small mercies
on a cheek so keen.

Aye, by lantern light
rest will come to alight 
on  thine house that sparkles bright
and a woman laid to bed, goodnight!

*
This is my take on the Magpie prompt this week. I have been cleaning in preparation for visitors this weekend, so envisioned myself on the floor scrubbing, looking up longingly at the tease of the outside world. Life kind of looked like that today.




24 comments:

  1. smiles. a truly inspired write, ha. so the house is clean...how long will that last? sorry we often joke about that in our house...fatalist i know...but within 5 minutes star wars and superheores have taken over again.

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  2. It won't! The task at hand is to keep it clean long enough to impress my clean-freak brother-in-law. I swear he vacuums twice a day when we go to visit! Pressures on...

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  3. Oh boy...I wish I had read this clever and inspirational post before I cleaned my apartment earlier this week. I had let so much go, that by the time I cleaned my small studio apartment, it felt like I was cleaning a two-story, three bedroom, two-bathroom HOUSE! It took me FOREVER!

    "Aye, by lantern light
    rest will come to alight
    on thine house that sparkles bright
    and a woman laid to bed, goodnight!"

    Yup...and after I was finished, I was definitely a man laid to bed, goodnight!

    Zzzzzzzzzzzz!

    Have a great weekend, Katherine!

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  4. I enjoyed this...but it also got me thinking. Your brother-in-law's standards are his own...you have nothing to live up to but your own.

    I loved this poem, though. We've all felt this longing to escape work and get out and play...and sometimes we get to do that!

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  5. You are right Talon. I don't really think that he thinks poorly of me for my housekeeping, but with two little one and just me it always seems to be messy somewhere. It drives me nuts sometimes, but I try to let it go and focus on other things (like play outside). Thanks Talon. Hugs

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  6. As long as there is no dust, floors littered with toys are ok with me!

    fortune tellers

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  7. Wk will always b there. Smtimes we have 2 prioritize & do less so we can enjoy more.

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  8. The "knees of nevermore." Known to anyone who has done housework.

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  9. Forget the floor and get thee outdoors!

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  10. You know housework done properly can kill you!

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  11. I'm all for getting outside - and keep the guests out there as much as possible, too! Nice post!

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  12. Nice write... have to say I too have been there in the cleaning sweep prior to guests coming by.

    Well done.

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  13. I too get wrapped up in a clean home, but your guests won't see the dust for they will only see you :) Nice!

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  14. at least you can sleep now :)
    but oy...you look pale and you reek of floor polish..you need to get outside more

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  15. * Hi Gautami! Dust makes me sneeze, so I try to avoid it (either by vacuuming or not disturbing it to make it fly around the house). The toys have a mind of their own and come out when we are sleeping, I swear!

    * I do hear you kathi, but sometimes you just can't ignore the blick anymore!

    * Hi Jingle. I often look at the prompts, I just try to be inspired enough to write something half decent. Willow's prompts are always interesting enough, that's for sure.

    * Berowne, you know it! Ugh...

    * Done Willow!! :-) I headed outdoors this aft to rake some leaves (pretense), but really to just play. The kids had a blast running and jumping in them (as did I!)

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  16. * AHHHHHHHHHHHHHhhhhhh, God NO, Kristen!!! I swear I will never do it again. bwahahaha! (My brother-in-law is probably having a fit as we speak with language like that. teehee

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  17. * Thanks Tumblewords. We tried to soak up a little sun in between a birthday party and more guests for dinner. It was all good.

    * Reflections, I try as I might, but I have to tell you that despite my cleaning attempts, my dear brother-in-law couldn't contain himself. He has a problem and I allowed him to feed it. he found my vacuum and almost sucked the paint off the walls in his manic cleaning frenzy. I think I should invite him to visit every week or at least once a month. He moved couchs!! Lord help him :)

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  18. * Cheryl, I have to agree, as I certainly do not judge people by the dust accrued. I attacked some problem spots though and it was noted. I hang my head, but never claimed to be an uber-housewife. I will offer you a glass of wine any time though, so come on by to visit!

    * Rene, it had to be done... teehee. but the house is so sparkling clean now, I LOVE it!!!

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  19. clean the bathrooms and dust the phone- dim the lights and go play outside... soon enough it will be cold and dreary and THEN you can clean!

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  20. Hear, hear Kathew! Bathrooms are the one room that I hate to get dirty, so it is generally the cleanest room in the house.

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  21. KKrige

    The clean house a lovely write very meditative has a 'zen' feel to it and very much reminds me of a passage from "Walden Pond" Thoreau states that they are actually metaphors, and that the truth lies in things around us that are directly observable. He recalls mornings sitting on his stoop contemplating his surroundings, it allowed for a close contact with Nature. His amusement during this time was cleaning house, because he was able to appreciate the small irony of taking everything out of doors in order to sweep and mop the floor. The pleasure and humor in seeing all his furniture mingled so carelessly with nature - trees, shrubs, and animals - was a constant source of joy. The berries draping over his table were a particularly wonderful sight.

    Lovely read,

    Joanny

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  22. Joanny you have honored me greatly today. To be compared to Thoreau is incredibly flattering. I can totally understand that concept too; in order to clean we must remove all traces of us. Be gone with us outdoors, to sterilize the inner world. hmm, just doesn't seem right.
    hugs J

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