Mr. Mouse

There’s a mouse in my house

He’s a terrible louse
A varmint, a vagrant
A foe in my stead
He nibbles the trash bags and winds up my thread

Mr. Mouse, as he’s called,
Does not want a cookie
He likes peanut butter on sticks and dog food made sticky

‘Twas the night before Tuesday and lo’ and behold
The whole house was sleeping and Mr. Mouse felt quite bold

He skittered, he scampered
He dove from nook to nook
He stole from the tea jar
A regular crook

To scare and confuse you, he comes from the cupboard
But the piano’s his home
His safe Mother Hubbard

When his belly is full, thick with sugar and sweets
He gather’s his scraps and heads back to the keys
He thinks I don’t notice the tiny marks he’s left
But the C and the E keys have paw prints like clefts

I beg you, BE GONE!, Mr. Mouse from my house
You’re frightening, you’re furry
You give cause for shouts!

You wake me at night from the pleasantest dreams
You lurk in the shadows and bite all my things

This cannot go on, we cannot be friends
If you stay, I declare, my sanity won’t mend
Please listen, please see, curl up somewhere else
The world is quite open, a big pot that melts

Mr. Mouse, leave my house
It’s my one solemn plea
Best wishes , bon voyage
And please, leave the key.