(This was written for the Housekeeping staff of Canyon village, Yellowstone nat'l Park, in 1999)
'Twas rainy and the poor R.A.s
did groan and grumble at their lists
all mopey were the truck drivers
and the porters clenched their fists.
beware the team leader, my son
the hands that point, the jaws that shout
beware the scrub-free spray, and shun
the black stuff in the grout
he held his Sanofresh in hand,
long time the dusky dirt he sought
then rested he by cabin P-1-3
and stood a while in thought.
and as in oafish thought he stood,
the team leader with clipboard flat,
came whiffling through the tulgy wood
and said "This room's a SPATT!"
one, two, through and through,
the Sanofresh went splicker-splack
he closed the door and with his cart
he went gallumphing back
"And hast thou cleaned the SPATT, my son?
oh, take a break, you beamish whelp!
then go to cabin M 2-8
I hear they need some help"
"twas rainy, and the poor R.A.s
did groan and grumble at their lists
all mopey were the truck drivers
and the porters clenched their fists
Author notes
SPATT - special attention
team leader - housekeeping inspector
R.A. - room attendant (maid)
scrub-free, sanofresh - cleaning solvents (scrub-free is used on porcelain, sanofresh is an all-purpose cleaner)
Written April 20th, 2004
In a list
A contest entry
- In honour of Lewis Carroll by leannewales.
400 points, ended November 21, 2004, 5 entries
Bronze trophy winner
• next poem in this contest, remove from contest
What did you think
Comments
1 - 10 of 10
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Loved the splicker splack. It sounded just like a dusting cloth to me. Good luck in the contest.
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great entry...i loved your take on the contest requirements...you have written this well and i thoroughly enjoyed...Mr. Carroll would be proud of you
....good luck in the contest....leanne xxx
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Lovely take off of the "Jabberwocky". One of my personal favorites. Twas quite "brillig"! You quite captured the essence of this work and made it your own. Yes, quite "mimsy". Would present you with a bouquet of "slithy toves" if they were still in season. Good write.
Good luck in the contest.
jill
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no..a room is a SPATT; special attention (it means its going to be used by someone special, like a park offical or somebody like that)
a team leader is a housekeeping inspector, who follows after the R.A.s and makes sure the rooms are claened properly -
wow wow am well wow this was aswem i hope to see moar like it keep up the good wark see you wen i see you by 4 naw
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ok
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cute, I like the almost whimsical feeling that this piece has. Even though I am not on the janitorial staff of Yellowstone Nat'l Park I was able to empathize completely with the trials and travails of what it was like on rainy days. Your choice of words was very appropriate for the subject, as well as the slightly silly way you presented it (at least i read silly, that could just be me after all)
keep penning!
~^_^~ -
nice
i agree the naughty red girl -
Bad work days always happen in the service sector. I know I had them. One question: How is a room a "special attention team leader"? It's kinda confusing.
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nice
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