Imbalance by Betti Anne Applegate
Once upon a time
In an old brown house
There lived a girl with eyes of diamonds
With a little pet mouse.
They got along quite well
So an arrangement was made:
The both of them decided
Not to put the other in a cage.
A very special girl and a very special mouse
Lived side by side
In their old brown house.
One went to the doctor
And the other to a vet,
But every day was more difficult
To distinguish master from pet.

One day a little boy with gold in his hair
Found himself lost in the forest near there.
He wandered until he stumbled
Upon the providential find:
The old brown house covered in vine.

The day was growing shorter
And as a means to an end
The golden boy took a breath,
Crossed his fingers,
And stepped in.

With great surprise he looked upon
A startled girl and mouse.
One had eyes of diamonds
An the other stood to shout,
"How dare you barge right in here,
How dare you come about!
You've startled my poor human
And stirred the dust in my house!"
"God bless thee furry master
And rich greetings to your girl
I've lost my way, take pity,
For the night around us swirls.
I sense a strange imbalance
And I sure could use a rest,
I think to procede in the light of day
In my interest would be best."
"Please stay," smiled the girl with shining eyes,
"For company is so rare..."
"Silence!" cried the little mouse,
"I'm the master here! Now then,
Of course, please rest your bones
Feel comfort in our home,
For not so often can our friends
To this far corner roam."
As night drew in the mouse went to bed
The children to the floor.

The boy turned to the girl
Whispering, "Your master is such a bore!
Where I come from my father is master,
And I his golden prince,
But I am free to roam and say what I please,
I wouldn't take this, especially since..."
"Since what-- fine prince with golden locks--
Because my king is a mouse?"
"Bah! Mouse or man I shouldn't care!
It's his ways that make me wary,
For he seems quite slick and in control
Of the one I'd like to marry."
"With your golden hair and my diamond eyes
We'd be quite the lovely match.
But don't you see how strange I am?
Aren't I merely a mouse's catch?"
"Fair princess I see deeper,
I see a complicated set of events."
"Just now you called me princess!
In this you surely jest!"
"I can not believe your modest words
Bound in by your inner light.
Princess, princess: I love you.
You must leave with me tonight."
They walked bravely into the darkness
Happy balance had been found.
The diamond eyed entered the golden kingdom
To receive her golden crown.


The End

© 2000 by Betti Anne Applegate
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