Mighty Mouse.

 

Once upon an evening dreary, I had just walked home weak and weary,
After a scrumptious dinner of delicious food first made in Mysore,
While I relaxed, nearly napping, suddenly an idea on the door of my mind came tapping,
Lots of my clothes were strewn about, flapping against my closet door.
`'Tis time to put them away,' I muttered, `before the clutter in here grows any more -
I'll complete just this task,  this simple chore.'


And the cotton striped and printed rustling of each colored item
Thrilled me - filled me with fantastic visions of fashion I never felt before;
So that now, to still the beating of my heart, I stood repeating
`'Tis almost time for a cup of instant coffee to be poured -
and to watch a movie starring Ranbir or Shahid Kapoor -
Then I can finally sleep, and nothing more.'


Presently my eyes grew wider; I saw tiny black seeds -- what for?
I had seen some crumb-like items in there before
I picked one up and started examining, wondering if it was a bug or something
When quickly, faintly, it came scurrying, scurrying from behind some of my clothes,
A mouse or rat, some dirty rodent -- filthiness seeping out of each of its pores; --
It had found its Thursday night hangout... in my wardrobe.


Deep into that darkness peering, not long did I stand there pondering or wondering,
I shrieked, screamed, wailed, and violently slammed shut that door!

I couldn't stay in my apartment for another second, I swore

In case the rat pounced on me and ate my face... or more.
I threw my toothbrush in my bookbag and, at 11:44
I called Pooja and said "RAT -- I have to come o'er." (SIDENOTE: I might have actually said "o'er.")
Merely this and nothing more.

Walking onto the street, my mind turning, all my soul within me burning,
I could feel the creature on my skin crawling like a baby on the floor.
"Surely," said I, "surely someone will help me, so defenseless and poor;
Let me see then who will declare upon this pest war -
Who will be my hero like Harry of Gryffindor
I mean, what else are friends for?!"

I called and I texted, I begged and implored,

Here are the comments I received, altered slightly to suit the rhyme scheme this poem calls for:
"You know, for every human in NYC, there are how many rats? Four."

"Ah, I see you've got Mickey Mouse inside your closet door!"

"Did you hear the news? A flesh-eating rodent escaped from the zoo yesterday at 4:00! =)"

"At least you aren't alone anymore!"

"Now that you have a houseguest, will he be getting his own drawer?"

"Mickey!? Friend!? Houseguest!?" said I, "It's a thing of evil! - disease-carrying vermin, if friend or devil!"

"Here I am, a four-legged demon has tossed me ashore

The banks of fright and filth, of all things I abhor
My heart and and apart(ment) have been made desolate, yet I am taunted
In my home by horror haunted - this how can you ignore?"
They replied, "We've dealt with this problem for several years -- welcome to New York!"
"So... [shudder]... of another rodent story I shall be a raconteur?"

Quoth every New Yorker: "Forevermore."