Mouse Man

Why scientists need to read poetry:

Perhaps the most common thought of all

Is that poetry is no good at all,

But it would do everyone well to learn

A legend long.

It is the tragic case of Bobert Rurns 

That will prove them wrong.

Our good Bobert was a scientist man

And was known for the unusual tests he ran.

He resided in the little town of Nest,

A lovely place,

But with an alarmingly large population of pests--

A problem faced.

So naturally, Bobert, being the intellectual he was,

Hatched a brilliant plan to clean up the mess.

He captured just one of the numerous mice

And took to his lab

Where he stayed working all day and night,

No sleep could he grab.

And when he finally emerged from his work-crazed state,

Glowing with triumph at the solution he managed to create,

Onlookers by cowered in fear,

"God have mercy!"

They shrieked, but behind trembling fingers they peered

At the giant beast.

12-feet tall, and all whiskers and claws,

Loomed a grotesque creature with hands instead of paws.

Coarse, sparse fur poking out beneath an expensive, well-ironed suit--

Dressed to impress--

But his writhing worm-like tail slithering in endless pursuit

Induced panicked distress.

The Mouse Man was familiar with all of the habits of mice

And so he knew exactly how to trap and entice.

But he also had the most valuable human trait:

Opposable thumbs,

Which allowed him to devise the best ways to deliver the mice to their fates,

Awaiting Hell's slums.

But Bobert hadn't planned for what happened next,

When Mouse Man decided himself what to do with the town of Nest.

Mouse Man charged at the people, releasing a mighty roar

(a very loud squeak),

Scratching, lashing, gashing, gnashing, Mouse Man waged war,

Havoc he wreaked.

The people armed themselves with weapons, pitchfork, and torch,

Desperately igniting flames around Mouse Man, but only themselves did they scorch.

All around them their beloved town was crumbling to ash.

They technically all committed arson,

But it was excusable because if they hadn't tried at all, Nest would have been gone in a flash...

It was a good run. 

Amid the rampant destruction, ruin, and grief

Bobert simply stared, paralyzed in disbelief.

It was only when he was the last left standing that he broke from his trance.

The Mouse Man was stuck. 

Face to face with Mouse Man, he picked up a lance

And struck. 

He walked along the soot, the ash, the rubble,

Nothing within miles moved a muscle. 

He was living a nightmare from which he could never wake up. 

He came undone. 

He whispered to himself, just softly enough,

"What have I done?"

If only Bobert had been more learned and wise,

He would have found the sage advice:

A warning in Robert Burns' pen,

Clear as day,

"The best laid schemes o' Mice an' Men

Gang aft agley".

-Olivia