This week’s poem is a pantoum. Pantoums are poems of any length that may or may not rhyme, composed of four-line stanzas in which the second and fourth lines of each stanza serve as the first and third lines of the next stanza (lines repeated exactly). The last line of a pantoum is usually the same as the first.

This poem is inspired by the housekeeping jobs I worked several years ago.

Image by Freepik

Housekeeper’s Routine

Gather supplies and open the door
Tidy and straighten up
Strip the bed linens and gather laundry
Load dirty laundry in the washer

Tidy and straighten up
Load washed laundry in the dryer
Load dirty laundry in the washer
Wash dishes, flatware, pots, and pans

Load washed laundry in the dryer
Scrub countertops and surfaces
Wash dishes, flatware, pots, and pans
Sweep hardwood and tiles

Scrub countertops and surfaces
Clean and freshen a bathroom
Sweep hardwood and tiles
Mop and dry floors

Clean and freshen a bathroom
Fold and separate laundry
Mop and dry floors
Hang up and put away clothes and linens

Fold and separate laundry
Dust furniture, sills, and decorations
Hang up and put away clothes and linens
Wash windows and mirrors

Dust furniture, sills, and decorations
Empty garbage bins
Wash windows and mirrors
Vacuum carpets and sofas

Empty garbage bins
Make the bed and fluff the pillows
Vacuum carpets and sofas
Gather supplies and open the door.