When you decide to rearrange your life 
and find that a neighbor has left footprints 
on your wife’s carpet, don’t despair.
Lay down a wet towel, folded in two,
and steam it gently with a hot iron.
If that fails, use a felt-tip pen
and treat the bare threads individually. 
Remember: the more often a rug is shaken, 
the longer it will live. Dirt trapped 
underneath grinds down the threads.