Death Of A Mouse Poem by Francis Duggan

As i stood in phone booth by Swansea road
The sky was dark though street lights brightly glowed
And those street lights lit the busy motorway
And i could see as if it were bright day.

On highway edge a small mouse did appear
From out the phone booth i could see him 'clear'
A little creature scarce an inch in height
'Methought' he'll die by motor wheel tonight.

But i was wrong he'd die by Nature's law
A bird dropped down clasped mouse in killer claw
And at first glance i thought this has to be an owl
Or kindred type of night bird on the prowl.

But for an owl he had too small a face
And he belong to hawk or harrier race
Ten foot from me the cars roared to and fro
And he seemed quite frightened unsure where to go.

A lull in traffic he upped and flew away
To nearby tree to safely eat his prey
And leave me to ponder on what i did see
Beneath that street lamp seven yards from me.