A SONG FROM THE SUDS
Queen of my tub, I merrily sing,
While the white foam rises high,
And sturdily wash, and rinse, and wring,
And fasten the clothes to dry;
Then out in the free fresh air they swing,
Under the sunny sky.
I wish we could wash from our hearts and our souls
The stains of the week away,
And let water and air by their magic make
Ourselves as pure as they;
Then on the earth there would be indeed
A glorious washing day!
Along the path of a useful life
Will heart’s-ease ever bloom;
The busy mind has no time to think
Of sorrow, or care, or gloom;
And anxious thoughts may be swept away
As we busily wield a broom.
I am glad a task to me is given
To labor at day by day;
For it brings me health, and strength, and hope,
And I cheerfully learn to say-
“Head, you may think; heart, you may feel;
But hand, you shall work always!”
-Louisa May Alcott
Gladsome Lights 
She’s much more “up” about laundry than I am!
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Haha!
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A sweet little poem with a good point made.
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It is a balm to read something from Louisa May Alcott. I too find that being ‘busy’, even with mundane tasks, helps to heal hurt or calm my soul.
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This takes me back to laundry days with my mother. I also appreciate Louisia’s deeper meaning here.
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I was just cleaning the living room. Didn’t feel like it, but I did it anyway. Now it’s done! It looks better, too! I feel better, too. 🙂 When I saw your title, A Song from the Suds, I thought of Brother Lawrence, praying amidst his pots and pans.
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What a surprise to see this poem by Louisa May Alcott!
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