George Brown

By George Brown

Twas the night before Christmas and all through the house

Not a creature was stirring except one little mouse.

The long hot summer had left Mouse’s pantry bare

So he moved into the house in hopes food would be there.

His family was nestled all snug in their beds

While visions of Cheese Whiz danced in their heads.

But try as he might mouse could not sleep a wink,

As he peeked and peered from under the sink.

When there on the table mouse spied a large platter,

And close by sat a cat – mouse had never seen fatter.

Behind the towel drawer mouse flew like a flash,

Then up on the counter he scurried with a dash.

A light from the window cast a moonlit glow

On the cat’s twitching tail on the floor just below.

When out from the bedroom there suddenly appeared

A little old man with a snowy white beard.

He waddled into the kitchen and tripped over the cat

Then fell on the floor with monstrous splat.

Four letter curses from his mouth they came

And an expletive deleted, as he called out the cat’s name.

The fat cat screeched and jumped up the wall

Then bounced onto the counter like a big butterball.

The poor little mouse was frozen with fear

At the sight of fat cat landing so near.

With a squeak and twirl mouse leaped in the air

Then softly landed in the old man’s beard of white hair.

Still on the floor the old man rolled round and round

As mouse jumped from his beard to the table with a bound.

Mouse quickly looked this way, and then he looked that

Glancing first at the old man, and then at fat cat.

His search for food seemed no longer to matter

But then he spotted a cheeseball on the large platter.

The old man sat up and started to wheeze

As mouse mustered the courage to swoop up the cheese.

And before fat cat had time even to blink

The brave little mouse flew back under the sink.

And I heard him exclaim as he dashed out of sight

Merry Christmas to all and to all a good bite.

George Brown is a freelance writer. He and his wife, Yvonne, live in Jackson Township.