cleaning ghost

it is the night of Halloween
a time he came to dread
they said his house was haunted
folks often saw the dead
they say there was a woman
she could have been a witch
that did laundry and cleaning
for the local rich

he heard about the potions
to keep the dead away
about the gory pumpkin
each righteous house display
he heard about the ivy glade
where good souls must hide
the smearing of the garlic
and other rubbish people tried

so as the sun began to set
and the moon peeped round the cloud
he mumble his incantations
repetitive and loud
with his garlic and night supplies
into his den he crept
with Jack Daniels as his comforter
in a drunken haze he slept

inside the house was banging
screaming and a wailing
dust rose off the floor
and old paper bags were sailing
bubbles and soapy water splashed
rags were wet and flapping
dirty carpet rolled up and stacked
and floorboard grime was sapping

then the door banged very loud
as the spirits left the gloom
the sun was climbing in the sky
illuminating every room
he woke up with a hangover
and felt his tongue was fried
then unlocked the front door and
and slowly ventured inside

the house was finely scented
clean so spick and span
no sign of any rubbish
old pizzas or beer can
the old ghost had visited
but was no cause to fear
the cleaning ghost of bachelors
that calls once every year