The Bug's Tale
A bug upon a green leaf sat
Cautiously eyeing up a cat
Who, unaware of the bug's intentions
Continued with its cruel conventions:
Of catching a mouse then setting it free
Then leaping up it once more with glee
Until the terrified rodent gave up and died
Whereupon the cat just sighed
At which moment the bug took his chance
To lead the cat in a merry dance
With a graceful leap, far and clear,
He jumped straight into the cat's ear
And settled himself into the warmth right there
Amongst the wax and sensitive hair.
Caught on the hop and by complete surprise
You should have that wicked cat's eyes
At the realisation he'd been violated
By one of the smallest creatures ever created.
Not that it mattered, be it big or small,
That cat didn't want it there at all
Deep in the cat's ear the bug was secure
Meaning that the cat would have to endure
The bug living off him as a parasite
The cat thought it just was not right
It was bad enough that ticks and fleas
Thought it was okay to do as they please
And use his flesh as a dining table
But at least with those pests he was able
To be rid of them with human intervention
But the bug in his ear defied all convention
It was something of a new experience
For a bug to take-up residence
With so much ease and with great success
It was causing the feline some distress
No matter how hard he shook his head
The annoying bug seemed to embed
Itself more securely in the desperate cat's ear
The half-crazed cat's cries were so sad to hear.
He whined and cried and pleaded in frustration
At his owner's ignorance of his situation.
The bug, ensconced in warmth and safety
Was as comfortable as a bug could be
Given the cat's efforts to evict him
An outcome that would surely be grim
Should the cat chance upon the defenceless insect
It was a scenario far too gruesome to project
However, the bug knew it was time to move on
But he had a point to make before he was gone
He said aloud in that cat's ear passage
"I am now about to assuage
The suffering you've endured all these hours.
I have demonstrated my limited powers
To show you how easy it is to be taunted
By a creature much less vaunted
In the kingdom of the animal
But you see how easily and quickly you fall
When your powers are effectively negated
By a tiny insect usually relegated
To the rank of parasite or pest
A neccessary annoyance at best
But you'll be having nightmares tonight
Of how easily I undermined your might
And drove you to the brink of insanity
Some might even call it cruelty
To behave towards you in that way
So this is what I have to say:
I saw you tease and terrify that little mouse,
The one you found hiding in your house
You thought that you were lord and master
As that terrified creature tried to run faster
To evade your evil, cruel and nasty ways
Before you brought an end to its happy days
By way of abject fear and complete misery
Well, you now know, thanks to me,
What that mouse suffered at your paws
And your nasty sharpened claws.
I don't have those weapons to call upon
To use to do what I want to get done
But I have my size, which you should fear
As I sit comfortably within your ear
For I'm telling you now, change your behaviour
And during this respite, remember and savour
For if you refuse to change your ways
Next time I visit it'll be for days and days
I know you won't want that, me in your head
You'll wish, I'm sure you, that were deaf or dead
I hope today a lesson had been learned
And a little respect has been earned.
I'm leaving now, but I'll always be near
To whisper reminders in your ear
Of the sincere vow that I have sworn
Change now or regret the day you were born!"
With that the bug left his host, sore ear stinging
And with the bug’s threats and words still ringing
The cat scampered away, somewhat subdued
While the tired bug went in search of food.
Pleased with what he had achieved
And just a little bit relieved
That things had turned out as they had
It could so easily have all turned bad.
There is only one more thing left to say:
Did that cat ever change his way?
(That’s another poem for another day!)
Copyright © Andy Morfett | Year Posted 2016
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