MELVIN: THE MYOPIC MOUSE

Melvin the mouse, 
Was in a movie house.
When he stumbled and tripped,
And then he slipped.

He bumped into a wall
Then he started to fall.
He stubbed his toe
Trying to see the show.

He really did care 
About the screen up there.
But straining to see
He couldn’t just be.

His friends eating popcorn, 
Teased him with such scorn
“Melvin, just sit still!
Understand it you will”

“If you just stop trying
Close your mind to all prying!
Sit still and be content!”
And on and on they went.

But he just couldn’t stand
To not understand
He still couldn’t see
And could not let it be.

Then he came upon
Glasses stuck in a chair.
When he put them on
All around he began to stare.

He could see! He could see! He could see! 
Imagine that, he could see! 
He could see the screen up there
He could also see elsewhere.

He could see the curtain pleats
He could even see his feets.
He could see the ceiling so high
He didn’t even have to try.

But when he turned around
To show them what he’d found
His friends all had their eyes closed
They were all just artfully posed,

Pretending the movie to adore
While eating scraps off the floor
They had long ago given up
Content that pretense was enough.

Melvin the mouse, 
Alone in the movie house,
Was the only one who could see
Had he really, truly been set free?

By cindy
10/27/2018