Cleanliness Is Close To/God All Around Me

Cleanliness is close to

Godliness, is far from

Where I came from is

Closer to where I started.

When I was growing up I had

A clean, godly home.

I had clean clothes and chores and

Laundry days and a purpose.

I would vacuum and I would

Make my bed with clean sheets once a week

And I would cook dinner for my family.

When I started dating people

I always kind of assumed

That they had even better lives at home.

That they did their chores even faster

Because, well, I dunno.

I just assume everyone is better than me all the time

Because when they are

I get to learn!

Anyway, the dating pool

Is not filled with people

Who are close to god.

In fact, none of my exes

Have ever had a close relationship with god

I’m the one who knows about him and is

At odds. The rest just kind of grew up

Some other way, I guess.

I don’t know how you all grew up

I only know what I dealt with.

Now that I’ve lived with people

Who do not understand

That cleanliness

Is close to godliness

Regardless of whether or not you’re religious—

I realize that perhaps

That should be the no. 1 characteristic on my list.

Problem is I don’t really want to get

That close to god, I just like knowing where everything is

And sleeping in clean sheets on a regular basis.

Both big breakups required a purge—

Both big breakups were with human turds.

Nobody cleaned nobody helped nobody noticed

The trash on the floor they left and

To me, now I understand

That’s a big deal, and it’s also

A big tell.

If they can’t take care of themselves

Or their own things

Or your things —

You need to break up with them.

Your stuff is basically you

To them, so pay attention.

Now that I’m alone I am

So genuinely happy, with my house

Made to order, clean and orderly —

God all around me.