Beside the peaceful pond beneath the maples
And majestic oaks
Fifty mice scurry around
Acorn lanterns dangle from ferns and twigs
Pieces of carpets, rugs and sheets
Spread bright colours all around
Mothers instruct, fathers groan,
Little mice skip, run and play.
Excitement fills the air,
For when the sun sets
The midsummer night of delights
Will begin!
Baskets of pies, and gooey, licky sticky
Juicy toffee apples in bowls,
Cupcakes piled with tummy yummy
Strawberry cream,
Custard pies, milkshakes in barrels,
Wooden bowls over flow with fruit,
Nuts and raisins, cheese rinds,
Miniature marshmallows in acorn bowls
Ready to be toasted,
And many other glorious delights.
Laughter of children fades with the light,
Sunset fills the sky,
Orange, blues, threads of pink
Scatter light through the tops of trees,
Down below the acorn lanterns begin to shine,
A grandfather picks up a tiny fiddle
He plucks a tune,
A grandmother taps on a mouse size drum,
Feet tapping mice begin to move,
The little beach soon fills with whirling, twirling,
Laughing, happy mice.
A black and white cat stalks through the trees,
Sniffing the air, ears pricked she sneaks closer,
And closer,
Nearer and nearer,
Almost there when a dog’s sharp bark
Sends her scattering away into the dark,
A child shouts goodnight,
A mother sings a lullaby,
Unaware the mice listen only to the magical
Music.
Twittering curious bats
Swooping hither and thither
As lanterns flicker in nine o’clock breezes
A drum beat rises
The moon slowly rises spilling pale light
Upon the pond where a sleepy frog
Ribbitt, ribbitts in her sleep,
In the old grey rock wall
Chipmunks poke out twitching black noses
And observe with drooping eyes
The midsummer festival
Right before their eyes.
The scent of food drifts on the warm
Summer breeze and a chipmunk yawns
Considering plundering the delicious treats
But curls up in his nest and falls asleep.
A coyote yips, another barks,
Mice freeze where they are!
Danger! DANGER! Yells a grandmother.
Scatter, run, hide the call goes out,
As fifty mice run and hide.
Trembling they watch the glowing eyes
Of curious coyotes passing by,
Sharp teeth shine as they yip and yap,
One moves nearer and nearer to the feast,
Her coyote nose twitching as she sniffs,
Huge paws with enormous claws (after all
Those watching are wee mice!)
Move closer to the party site,
Then a bark calls her back,
The pack has already dined and slowly
Wanders by.
Phew! A grandfather releases his breath,
He ventures out to make sure
Danger has passed for now,
Then waves a lantern to tell forty nine mice
To celebrate!
Even owl decides to let the mice
Dance and dine
Sing and play beneath the moon
For tomorrow is another day.
Gathering baskets, blowing out lanterns,
Folding blankets, scooping up sheets,
The mice yawn and nibble on the very last treats,
They walk away with sleepy gaits
Separating to go to homes
In wood piles, and beneath piles of old oak leaves,
In basements, and garages,
Even an old car,
The mice are soon asleep.
So we must leave them to dream of dancing feet,
Piles of yummy treats
And best of all excellent friends
All beneath a summer night sky.
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