Rats and Roses

 

Dishes on the table, crumbs on the floor;

Oliver impromptu scene triggered - someone wanted more!

Hamburger Helper, Tuna Casserole, Sloppy Joes,

Running through a sprinkler or drinking from a hose.

 

Dutch Cleanser on all the table tops;

Frosted Flakes, cinnamon toast, Sugar Pops.

Cockroaches, those big bugs - eww they disgust;

Birthday Cake, May through August. In God We Trust.

 

Beauty in the blooms, but every rose has its thorn;

This is the Camelot into which we were born.

Rats will find their way into the side yard trash;

Murphy will give chase, but they’re gone in a flash.

 

In spite of dead fish washing up onto the beach,

Make way for our water rafts, we beseech.

Leprechaun jacket will keep us dry and warm;

On the flying bridge, the chicken of the sea watches out for the storm.

 

Flies around dog manure and potato salad;

Picnic lunches and s’mores not so bad.

Viet Nam body count on the nightly news.

Parochial or Public School - Do we get to choose?

 

With a disposable razor, don’t cut yourself shaving;

Gone are the newspaper clippings you were saving;

Gemini orbit and man on the moon;

It will happen, maybe not now, but soon.

 

Dad keeps replacing screws in the kitchen table chairs.

The squall line we see coming in from our picture-window upstairs.

Plain Dealer money in the front hall.

Rotary dial and just one more call.

 

Where is the party tonight? What are we gonna do?

Funny, that’s exactly what I was about to ask you.

Keep it on the down low. Be as quiet as a mouse.

The party tonight, dude? Tonight it’s at your house.