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



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Date: 3/22/2012 7:55:00 AM
Congratulations on your win in Joe's "The Contest Contest" Rhonda. Love, Carol
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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!
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Date: 3/21/2012 10:14:00 AM
sweet obsession, rhonda.. squeaky clean and wel scribed.. congrata big time!..:) huggs!
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Date: 3/21/2012 7:56:00 AM
Rhonda congrats on your win, know how you feel, OCD with cleaning that's me..David
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Date: 3/21/2012 2:18:00 AM
A wonderful win Rhonda I loved this when I first read it. xx
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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
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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!
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Date: 2/28/2012 7:37:00 AM
Good for you give it up and play with child xx Love it
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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!
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