Husmus

Mouse, we're wintering together.
The rats chased us up from the subway,
who can blame us? They've got
their whole city mapped out down there.

If I loved you, would you be so frightened?
I could coax your brown tremble out
from beneath the furnace, let you sally free.
Think how we could sing late into the night!

You're so studious and serious.
At night just my steps on the peeling linoleum
have you running for your book.
I know the cold helps you concentrate.

But what if we, what if we tumbled down
into the lentils together tonight?

Deirdre Lockwood