A Mouse Tale

A Poem by Michelle Gent

A Mouse Tale

A mouse is hiding in my medicine chest
Taking up residence
Unknowingly I wipe the fogged mist
With my sleeve and it squeaks

I smile thinking it's just me
But when I open the cupboard I notice
A guest squatting behind cabinet door

Has he been nibbling on my Dramamine?
Or spying on me and my daily routine
A peeping Tom behind a hidden frame
Keeping himself busy and entertained

All cute and chubby
Chewing on Tums and getting all comfy
With soft cotton ball pillows and comforter
Trying futilely to use my nail clippers
On his little mouseling toes

I wonder does he have accomplices hiding
Behind other secret doors
Free loaders living rent free
Sponging off me dishonestly
With mini U-Hauls packed and ready
Preparing for a mousetrap apocalypse
At any given time

Or perhaps their leery of our house cat
Rube Goldberg napping unassumingly
A fierce mouse connoisseur, fast asleep
A fat little steam roller
Counting rodents in his dreams

Sawing zzzzzzzzzzz's in his sleep
His whiskers would be twisted
and bent out of shape
Knowing his prey had gone undetected
and escaped
And eluded his sinister mouse flipping game