Well I don't normally have to give you guys a long explanation of the poem to follow BUT in this case perhaps I should. I wrote this for a friend who had a character in his novel I found quite funny - he was a gerbil who sat on his owner's shoulder and had a penchant for a drink now and then! SO I wrote this little goodie:

The gerbil's name was Aesop
The life he led was queer
He had a weakness for alcohol
And really loved his beer.

Atop a shoulder Aesop sat
Observing life go by
Awaiting trips to the local bar
For whiskey, gin, or rye.

He’d wait ‘til his master ordered
Then sit with watchful stare
In hopes a slosh or two would fall
Upon the bar so bare.

When Aesop had his limit
He often lost control
He’d fling himself on someone’s head
And really take a hold.

Poor Aesop never knew his limit
Drinking was his bane
For many a man who’d visit the bar
Would go home in great pain.

His owner was very proud of him
Was heard to do much bragging
Until the day when Aesop said
“I’m going on the wagon!”
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Now...more explanations...somehow the little gerbil "morphed" into a rat/mouse whenever my friend and I would discuss little Aesop. I think it happened because I work in an old church part-time and there are a LOT of "church mice" running around - I see them frequently staring at me! I named one of them "Aesop"....well, I hadn't seen him in a while....today I wrote this "UPDATE" to the Aesop story:


AESOP'S FOIBLES - PART TWO

I got a letter from Aesop -
Came in the mail today;
I'd wondered what had happened
And why he went away!

He said he'd met a girl mouse
Down in the church's kitchen
She'd gone down for a midnight snack
But couldn't find one and was bitchin' !

"Where do they hide the good stuff?"
She mumbled then turned around to see
Old Aesop with love's lust in his eyes
As he beheld his "wife to be".

He showed her the hole in the pantry door
And they found a snack together
The more they talked it became clear
They were real "birds of a feather".

She thought Aesop a man of the world
So when their snack was done
They packed their bags and headed off
Into the setting sun.

They'd hopped aboard a passing bus
Headed for a church revival
And nested in a great big box
Full of New Testament Bibles.

When at last they arrived at the end of the line
They hopped off and made their way
Into the little local Baptist church
Which is where they hope to stay.

He says it's in the town of Houma
So don't be too surprised to see
If one day you turn around and find
Aesop and his entire family!

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