Get Your Premium Membership

Contest of Cleanliness

Passed down to me from my dear mother, this cleaning bug even bit my brother. I spent many hours doing house chores. The need to clean, we could not ignore. I always felt such satisfaction, my friends all thought a strange reaction, to suck up dust bunnies brought such joy. A brand new mop was better than a toy. When my brother and I felt the need to compete, we would clean out our closets, win went to most neat. And when I was a teen without a date, I scrubbed bathroom tiles 'til the hour got late. Dear fellow poets, I have a confession. For a certain bald man, I had quite an obsession. Many long nights, he and I danced, the hum of the vacuum, our song of romance. As I grew older, the neat freak contest ensued. The need to be cleanest, a relentless pursuit. The only person I competed with was me. Now, with a messy four-year-old, I have set myself free. This cleaning contest was only bringing me strife. No longer competing, I'm now living my life.
By Rhonda Johnson-Saunders, February 27, 2012 for the Contest contest ( Joe Flach) Seventh Place

Copyright © | Year Posted 2012




Post Comments

Poetrysoup is an environment of encouragement and growth so only provide specific positive comments that indicate what you appreciate about the poem.

Please Login to post a comment

Date: 3/22/2012 7:55:00 AM
Congratulations on your win in Joe's "The Contest Contest" Rhonda. Love, Carol
Login to Reply
Date: 3/22/2012 7:54:00 AM
I too was raised on the maxium 'a place for everything and everything in its place!' Congrad's on your win!
Login to Reply
Date: 3/21/2012 10:14:00 AM
sweet obsession, rhonda.. squeaky clean and wel scribed.. congrata big time!..:) huggs!
Login to Reply
Date: 3/21/2012 7:56:00 AM
Rhonda congrats on your win, know how you feel, OCD with cleaning that's me..David
Login to Reply
Date: 3/21/2012 2:18:00 AM
A wonderful win Rhonda I loved this when I first read it. xx
Login to Reply
Date: 3/20/2012 7:07:00 PM
The strangest contest of any. Great descriptive poetry and a great win for you. Congratulations. Love, Joyce
Login to Reply
Date: 2/28/2012 2:23:00 PM
this is wonderful, although i don't share your cleaning urges. loved the poem, though! good luck in the contest!
Login to Reply
Date: 2/28/2012 7:37:00 AM
Good for you give it up and play with child xx Love it
Login to Reply
Date: 2/28/2012 12:02:00 AM
this is really good, rhonda... you rammed the unique subject matter with both playfulness and grace...it's spring cleannig once more!... winning hugggs!
Login to Reply

Book: Reflection on the Important Things