(an example of a poem in villanelle form,
a rather rare form not especially well-represented by this one,
but I had fun trying!)
It was worse than being eaten by a cat,
Falling into the hands of Joseph Blair.
There was no mercy for the wretched rat.
Joseph did his ratting with éclat.
He set his snares and poison bait with flair.
(It was worse than being eaten by a cat.)
Some people would have just said “scat!”
(Those who care for animals with hair);
But Joe had no mercy for the wretched rat.
When the rat crapped blue on the Caravan’s floor mat
Joe didn’t feel like playing very fair.
He was worse than being eaten by a cat.
There in a glue trap the rat just sat,
With nothing left to do but squeak and glare.
(There was no mercy for the wretched rat.)
Then the garden rake whacked down; the rat went splat!
(THAT should make the rat community beware.)
It was worse than being eaten by a cat;
There was no mercy for the wretched rat.
©2003 John I. Blair
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