The Mouse that made a House a Home

There was a tiny little mouse
That decided it was time to live in a house.
He checked the entire neighborhood,
Through the thickened weeds,
To find a place to call his own …
One to fit his needs.

When all at once he saw a home,
With an old man who lived there all alone.

He stopped by garbage cans and such,
To tell his friends he’d be out of touch;
With many sad and teary goodbyes,
He left the streets as he let out a sigh.

He settled into the place he called home,
And decided to be friends …
With the man who lived alone.

The first night he spent there,
He looked all around
To see what he’d find,
And here’s what he found …

Some pictures of a loving wife,
Some kids that he had given life;
He saw a letter left in the drawer,
And when he read it, this is what he saw …

“My dear, dear husband, I soon will be gone,
But please be strong and try to go on;
I hope that our children will be kind to you,
I hate to leave you darlin’,
But my life on earth is through.”

All at once the phone rang loud,
He ran to answer it and he sounded very proud …
“No son, it’s fine … I have places to go,
Besides, around Christmas, I’m afraid of the snow;
Billy, you have a good holiday,
And please tell the kids
Grandpa’s gifts are on their way.”

He hung up the phone and dried away a tear,
He looked up toward the Heaven’s and said,
“I miss you so my dear.”

He went to a chair and put on the TV,
And changed the channels for something to see;
When all at once, he saw me standing there,
I thought he’d try to chase me but all he did was stare.

He said, “Hi you little critter … welcome to my home!
Now I feel much better for I am not alone.”

Well, that was a while ago
When all this came about,
And now I’m feeling awful …
They just carried his body out.

I have such wonderful memories,
He was such a gentle man;
I remember the dinners that we’d share,
As he fed me right out of his hand.

I never saw his children …
Well … not until today,
As they went through the entire house,
And carted things away.

I must go back into the streets
Where friends of mine still roam;
But I’ll miss the man who lived here,
For I made his house a home.

For sale – as is

“For Sale – As Is,” read the realtor’s ad,
“Furnishings Included,
Beautiful Home, Magnificent View,
Private and Secluded!”

With interest, I approached the house,
Neglected, of course, and run-down,
Cobwebs and spiders, mouse tracks and mice,
And layers of dust all around.

The realtor said she was ‘sorry,’
She had not seen this place before,
Her orders had come in the mail,
“Sell the house – as is” … nothing more.

Distaste for the place showed on her face,
But I smiled and said, “I’ve seen worse,”
“Well, I haven’t,” she said, with disgust,
Her voice sarcastic and terse.

Wainscoting and woodwork – yellowed with age,
Hand-carved banisters – broken and cracked,
Floors – moaning and groaning under our weight,
Brass fixtures – discolored and black.

But all around, clues could be found
This once was a house that was prime,
Though it had had no loving care,
For a very long, long time,

A grand staircase swept up from below,
Elaborate in marble and teak,
Time and grime may have stolen its shine,
But there it stood … still proud and unique.

Then next a great room with huge windows,
Surely a ballroom meant for a dance,
Its draperies, musty and dusty,
Yet displaying an old elegance.

A chandelier hung from the ceiling,
Though archaic, it welcomed the light,
It gleamed a bit when the sunshine hit,
Thus proving it still had a life.

I closed my eyes and saw ladies in gowns,
And men in full dress, bowing low,
I heard a lively tune that filled the room,
And caught myself tapping my toe.

I saw children on the banisters,
I heard them giggle sliding by,
I saw them racing one another
Up the stairs for one more try.

The pictures in my mind persisted,
This abandoned place was once a home,
Love, warmth, and cheer one time were here,
Though now it was cold and alone.

“I’ll take the house!” I blurted out,
The realtor was struck dumb,
“Yes, I know what I am doing!”
She stood there, startled and stunned.

The price was right; the deed was done,
My name went on the dotted line,
We shook hands; she left in haste,
I guess for fear I’d change my mind.

I looked about and made a vow,
I swore I would revive this place,
Too much still alive in here,
Not time to go or be replaced.

I had the needed tools to use,
Soap and water … and elbow grease,
But most of all what I possessed
Was a wondrous dream that would not cease.

From laughing children on a staircase,
To dancing feet on polished floors,
From opened curtains at big windows,
To sunshine streaming in galore.

The poor realtor no way could see
The same house that I saw,
She only used her eyes to look,
So, she could not see it all.

Thus, to see things best, I must suggest
One employ all one’s faculties,
Not just one’s eyes to look around,
But use one’s heart to fully see.

House for rent

HOUSE FOR RENT

I have this marvelous house for rent,
It’s refurbished every Spring,
I can hardly wait each year to see,
What sort of tenants it will bring.

Its elevation’s high enough,
That each room has a view,
Yet it’s private and secluded,
With no way to intrude.

I don’t advertise my vacancy,
Somehow, the word gets spread,
For many prospects do come looking,
Mostly couples and newlyweds.

The ambiance and decor,
I think are very nice,
Unless requirements are special,
For most needs, it would suffice.

It is small enough for two,
But large enough for four,
Or five – or six – or seven,
Or, by squeezing, even more.

It’s well built and weather-proofed,
No way can rain get in,
It’s positioned in an alcove,
So is sheltered from the wind.

It’s in a choice location,
A lovely neighborhood,
Fresh water is available,
And the food supply is good.

At last, everything’s in readiness,
The place, cleaned and dusted out,
Discreetly watching from a distance,
I wondered who would come about

My wait was not too long,
My first prospects soon arrived,
“Well, hello there,” I beamed,
“Feel free to go inside.”

So excited … all a-twitter,
They looked at me and cocked their heads,
I smiled and stepped away,
“Chirp! Chirp!” was what they said.