Notes About The Poem

11/6/2025 for Poetry Is In The House Poetry Contest sponsored by Nette Onclaud

The Ghost of the Attic Rat

A creature, unwanted -
at last, a snap killed that  
adversary, vaunted.
Above, like Marley's ghost,
he drags a clanging trap -
the foul rat that haunted.
Copyright © | Year Posted 2025

Poem

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Etgen-Baker Avatar
November 7, 2025 at 6:32 AM
this time of year, the nearby field mice belive our garage is their personal air bnb....caught two just yesterday....hate that!
Rodgers Avatar
November 6, 2025 at 8:17 AM
Hello David, You managed to pack a lot of atmosphere into those few lines. What I found particularly engaging was the way you twisted a moment of simple resolution (the 'snap') into something perversely lingering by turning the rat into a noisy, dragging "ghost." Always a fun read! Autumn Blessings, David, Daniel
Crandall Avatar
November 6, 2025 at 8:14 PM
Hi Daniel! Thanks! For some reason, I remember a true story a friend of mine told me over 30 years ago. He set a rat in his attic. It caught but didn't kill the rat, creating a creepy situation, where the rat dragged around the trap. I guess the "attic" contest prompt unleashed that memory - lol. memory
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