An Observer of Life in Bad Poetry

The hidden mouse hole in the vent under the bed was just large enough

His eyes glittered in the dark while he slid through as it wasn’t rough

The storage box on the floor provided cover and a good point of view

For the mouse that was recently by there looking for something to chew

The bed springs above creaked and and he heard a small voice call for Mother

Alert, quietly sniffing the air, waiting for a mouse or something other

The door swung open with a cheery voice and the rustle of a house coat

The bunny slippers looked so real. “Maybe I could strike quickly at the throat.”

But the long legs in the rabbits would be a challenge and hard to digest

Thinking better of an attack,he put down his head and continued to rest.

Then above him, he sensed motion, a smaller movement then the one in the door

The springs bounced with a cheerful noise and the little ankles landed on the floor

Only these feet were small and delicate as were the legs, a definite possibility

“Something that small would fill my void and is well within my capability.”

The young voice asked. “Mommy after drinking my milk can I go out to play?”

This conversation happening only inches from where the big reptile lay.

Then a smooch sound a giggle and the little ankles were lifted away

With his tongue flicking, the long vigil resumed waiting on his prey

“Honey, what is this?” the young mother asked looking looking at the vacuum can

She was looking at several oblong objects each looking like half a pecan

“Why on earth,” the husband asked. “Are you sorting through the vacuum and dust pan?”

“I’ve been finding these under the bed and behind the settee.”

The young mother continued. “They look like droppings of mouse poo to me.”

The husband took note and noticed the shape and mumbled he might agree

“Okay,” he said. “We’ll find us a good exterminator man.”

“One that will come out just once and not try to sell us a long term plan.”

“You might have a problem a little bigger than mice.”

The uniformed man spoke to the mother while holding a trap device.

“I’ll put a few of these out and head down to your crawl space.”

“Not to alarm but I’ll carry my bag and snake hook just in case.”

He took a while under the house, she could him cough and wheeze

He then appeared with cob webs in his hair and dirt on his knees

He held one long snake skin in his hand that draped to the floor

“This is all I found I didn’t find anything more.”

“The snake might have moved on looking for something to eat.”

“When they don’t have a reason to stay they have a tendency to retreat.”

“So you mean it’s gone?” Asked the woman in a voice tinged with fear.

She demanded, “I want it gone or killed and none anywhere near.”

“I think it’s gone I can’t tell for sure, but I’ll seal the cracks so it can’t get in.”

“That should be the last of him and I will dispose of this skin.”

“But I’ll tell you a secret that you may have thought out.”

“Most homes unless really closed up have a snake or two without a doubt.”

So he caulked up the cracks on the outside and all along the baseboard

Anyplace around the house the slithering animal might have explored

“I’m sure that’s got it ma’am your house is now tight as a tick.”

“If any small cracks develop a shot of silicone sealer should do the trick.”

The young mother paid for the service, relieved the work was complete

And to not have to worry about what was crawling near their feet

That night after putting her daughter to bed and turning out the light

She didn’t notice the lump under the stuffed bear looked not quite right

Under the happy bluebird sheets the lump started to uncoil

The sheets were tucked in very tightly causing him to toil

Tonight the little ankles were his, where he had hidden still and unseen

As the little feet came into view, he wanted to wish all Happy Halloween.