THE HUMBLE CLEANER

A humble cleaner came and knocked
upon my door one day.
I took the bolt out from the lock,
and I was glad to say,

"Yes, cleaner,
I will let you in!
Please clean my heart
of age-old sin,

and banish, if you will,
the stink of swill
from my dark cellar,
whose reek
is stellar."

I opened up the cellar door.
The cleaner smiled silently,
and it appeared he might agree.

I said, "My house has many rooms.
Some of them I've never seen.
If you allow, I'll pick up brooms
and help you clean."

We worked together silently
and thoroughly and never fast,
and as we went from room to room
the years flew past.

At last he put his duster down,
but I said with a wary frown,
"I need things shining brilliantly!
I'm waiting for the Guest, you see."

The humble cleaner smiled,
took off his cloak.
You know the rest.

The humble cleaner is
the Guest.