In Praise of the Custodian

In Praise of the Custodian 4th draft on 5/1/25 (at around 10:25 AM at Life Time)

for Deb

What can be said of the custodian 

with her arthritic back 

and knobbled, careful, root-like fingers; 

her knees two rusty springs,

her two carpel-tunnel wrists,

with the surgeries scheduled?

How her fingers, with such precision, fold into the rag

and swoop like a troop of ballerinas against the wood surface of the table.

How her knees rub the floor

with the shifting of her weight, on all fours,

as she works on scraping up a bit of gum.

I once heard that one of the disciples

was known as "old camel knees"

because of all the time he spent on his knees

in prayer 

and she is something like that

on her knees in a kind of prayer

as she kneels to get the last little smudge

at the bottom corner of the full length, wall-sized mirror

in the group exercise room

not taking any notice of herself.

When it comes right down to it,

I only know two who can effectively describe this woman:

Hoagland came close, recognizing

that every time I drop, even a crumb,

she must bend, stoop, and twist

to take up my refuse and neglect.

But Jesus gets it right, that those who are last

will be first.

But Solomon in Ecclesiastes also gets it right:

that the one who works

will be broken by her work.

__________________________________________________________________________

In Praise of the Custodian 3rd draft on 5/8/24 (at around 11:25 PM at Catalina)

for Deb

What can be said of the broken custodian 

with her arthritic back 

and knobbled, careful, root-like fingers; 

her knees two rusty springs?

How her fingers, with such precision, fold into the rag

and swoop like a troop of ballerinas against the wood surface of the table,

and how her knees rub the floor

with the shifting of her weight, on all fours,

as she works on scraping up a bit of gum.

I once heard that one of the disciples

was known as "old camel knees"

because of all the time he spent there

in prayer and she is something like that

on her knees in a kind of prayer

and she kneels to get the last little smudge

at the bottom corner of the full length, wall-sized mirror

of the group exercise room

not taking any notice of herself.

When it comes right down to it,

I only know two who can effectively describe this woman

Hoagland came close, recognizing

that every time I drop, even a crumb,

she must bend, stoop, and twist

to take up my refuse and neglect.

But Jesus gets it right, that those who are last

will be first.

But Solomon in Ecclesiastes also gets it right:

that the one who works

will be broken by her work.

______________________________________________________________________

In Praise of the Custodian 2nd draft on 1/25/24 (at around 10:14 PM at Catalina)

What can be said of the custodian 

with arthritis in her back, 

her fingers knobbled, 

her knees like two rusty springs?

How the arthritic fingers fold into the rag

and how her knees rub the floor

with the shifting of her weight

as she works on scraping up a bit of gum.

I once heard that one of the disciples

was known as "old camel knees"

because of all the time he spent there

in prayer and that is her

on her knees in a kind of prayer

and she kneels to get the last little smudge

in the bottom corner of the full length, wall-sized mirror.

Hoagland came close, recognizing

that every time I drop, even a crumb,

she must bend, stoop, and twist

to take up my refuse and neglect.

But Solomon in Ecclesiastes gets it right, 

that the one who works

will be broken by her work.

___________________________________________________________________________

In praise of you the Custodian 1st draft on 1/16/24 (at around 10:45 AM at Five Seasons)

What can be said of the custodian and the maintenance man

with arthritis in your back and knees?

Hoagland came close, recognizing

that every time I drop, even a crumb,

you must bend, stoop, and twist

to take up my refuse and neglect.

But Solomon in Ecclesiastes gets it right, 

that the one who works

will be broken by their work.