Happy Mouse

As he stood waiting for the train,
Sweaty and panting
From running too fast,
He saw movement on the tracks.
And spied
A mouse so grey, so small
He was barely there at all.
He watched the mouse a while,
With a smile
And wondered how it would feel
To be a carefree mouse
Pottering amongst the rails,
Looking for stray food.
This life seemed preferable
To being stuck in the rat race
He thought,
Then. distraught,
He realised
His train was coming in,
His mouse would be carefree no more
He set his jaw,
He would not cry for a mouse.
He did not board the train
He could not explain
His reasons, but he needed to see
The mouse’s lifeless, bloodied body
To reassure himself
He had a better life.
The train pulled away
And with dismay
He saw the mouse run out
From a safe space
Hands covering his face,
The man declared himself
Less happy than a mouse.