How to clear screen using node/npm blessed (curses-like library) - node.js

Question

I am using node/npm blessed to create a screen to monitor a particular application and I want the monitor tool to look/act like linux top. The problem I have, which I think is relatively simple (but I cant find the answer anywhere), is to have blessed clear the screen at startup as well as at particular points based upon user input.
Right now I can use blessed to paint the screen properly (sample program below), but the problem is I need the screen to be cleared at startup (right now the first line of output just appends right after you start up the program):
var blessed = require('blessed');
var screen = blessed.screen(),
body = blessed.box({
top: 0,
left: 0,
width: '100%',
height: '100%',
tags: true
});
var items = [];
screen.append(body);
screen.key(['escape', 'q', 'C-c'], function(ch, key) {
return process.exit(0);
});
function log(text) {
items.push(text);
var MAX = 10;
if( items.length > MAX+1 ){
items.shift();
}
for (var i=1; i<MAX; i++){
body.setLine(i, items[i]);
}
screen.render();
}
function status(text) {
body.setLine(0, text );
screen.render();
}
var counter = 1;
setInterval(function() {
status((new Date()).toISOString());
log('Line number: ' + (counter++));
}, 1000);

Answer 1

For completeness, the solution to this question is provided below, and is very simple. To clear the screen, issue the following code at the start of the program:
screen.render();
The sample program that I referenced in the original post can be modified as follows and now works:
var blessed = require('blessed');
var screen = blessed.screen(),
body = blessed.box({
top: 0,
left: 0,
width: '100%',
height: '100%',
tags: true
});
// The following line clears the screen
screen.render();
:
: