‘Twas the Night of Clean Carpets
‘Twas the month of December, the holidays near,
The time for togetherness, laughter and cheer.
The tree was adorned with baubles so bright,
But the carpets and tile weren’t looking quite right.
Mama with her mop, and I with my broom,
Had just given up on cleaning each room,
When out on the lawn, there arose such a clatter
I sprang from my chair to see what was the matter.
Away to the window, I flew like a flash,
Tore open the curtains, threw up the sash.
The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow
Gave a luster of cleanliness to objects below.
When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But a van full of equipment and technicians so near.
With a passionate team, so lively they leapt,
I knew in a moment it must be Five Step!
More rapid than eagles, the crew they came,
And Scott whistled and shouted and called them by name:
“Now, Scrubber! Now, Sweeper! Now, Steamer and Blitzer!
On, Buffer! On, Duster! On, Rinser and Spritzer!”
“To the back of the sofa, to the end of the hall,
Now clean away, clean away, clean away all!”
As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,
When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky,
So up to the front door, the cleaners they flew,
With all their equipment and green uniforms, too.
And then, in a twinkling, I heard through the door,
The steaming and spraying of each dirty floor.
A wink of Scott’s eye and a twist of his head
Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread.
They spoke not a word, but went straight to their work,
And cleaned all the carpets plus the tile, for a perk.
And laying a finger aside of his nose,
And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose!
Scott sprang to his van, to his team gave a whistle,
And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.
But I heard them exclaim, ere they drove out of sight,
“Happy Holidays to all, and to all a clean night!”
