Sweep the Floor

Sweep the floor
(before you sit in the chair)

Mr. James had the shop on the corner of Vine
Two chairs, one mirror, a radio on nine
I was twelve with a broom and a two-dollar deal
Sweep the hair up, then he'd tell me something real
Said, "Boy, you want to sit in the chair one day?
Then you learn the floor before you learn to say"
Hair on the tile like a map of the block
Every father's fade in a soft gray lock
He never called me son, he never called me kid
He called me by my name and he watched what I did
Fifteen years of hair on a checkered tile
Fifteen years of fathers in a single aisle
First office key, and I called him first
He said, "Floor clean?" I said, "Yes sir, it hurts"

Learn the floor
(the floor)
Before the chair
(the chair)
Every king I know
Started down there

Sweep the floor before you sit in the chair
Sweep the floor, let it show that you care
Hands on the broom, eyes on the door
If you want the mirror, sweep the floor

Sweep the floor
(sweep the floor)
Then the chair
(sweep the floor)
Then the chair
(then the chair)

Phone rang Tuesday, his daughter on the line
Said he went in his sleep by the radio on nine
Funeral Friday, the whole block in black
Men who never cried stood in the back
His wife walked up with a key on red string
Said, "He said you'd know what to do with this thing"
I bought the shop, didn't change the sign
Didn't move the chair, didn't touch the nine
First morning open, six a.m., alone
I didn't sit down, I didn't turn the phone
I picked up the broom from the hook on the wall
And I swept that floor like he could see it all
Then a boy walked in with his cap turned round
Said, "You hiring?" I said, "Pick that broom up now"

Learn the floor
(the floor)
Before the chair
(the chair)
Every king I know
Started down there

Sweep the floor before you sit in the chair
Sweep the floor, let it show that you care
Hands on the broom, eyes on the door
If you want the mirror, sweep the floor

He never once said he was proud.
He never had to.
He handed me a broom
and then he handed me a key.
Same hand.
Same lesson.

Sweep the floor before you sit in the chair
(sweep the floor)
Sweep the floor, let it show that you care
(show that you care)
Hands on the broom, eyes on the door
If you want the mirror, sweep the floor

Floor's clean, Mr. James.