ralphie and the mouse

it was a long time coming,
a long time waiting,
waited his whole long life,
ralphie finally
had his moment,
a quarrel, a struggle,
a final hurrah,
his legendary strife;
the yard was golden
in the last light of the day,
he stepped out of his twilight home,
bravely into the coming night
stalwart old bag of bones,
and i imagine
he was strong
and he was proud,
stalked the garden
mercilessly,
tracked that mouse
across the yard,
and he fought clean
and he fought hard;
and into the night there rose a cry,
cry of the old boy
returned from battle,
that cry shook our bones, made windows rattle,
piercing into the fallen night,
calling to the exultant sight,
ralphie stood fluffy triumphant
in the end,
stood straight and tall on the walk that night
with sly blink-blink to greet,
defeated mouse lay at his feet.
crowning glory on
his c. vitae,
memorialised in his last two days,
18 years and proud hero,
remembered for always,
for all to know.