A Small Fragile Life

Orange and white,
Small and active.
Four legs, 2 front teeth,
Expressive eyes.

Run, run, run,
All through the night.
Sleep, sleep, sleep,
All through the day.

Skittish around hands,
Hasn't nibbled a finger.
Found a way out,
Explored the surroundings.

Tired, tired, tired,
Now day and night.
Munch, munch, munch,
Food intake decreasing.

Autumn is too cold,
The nights colder still.
Slowly disappearing,
Beneath bedding for warmth.

Squeak, squeak, squeak,
At first sounds like hiccups.
Run, hiccup, run, hiccup,
Out of the running ball.

The hiccups become worst,
Nose turns purple and wet.
Eyes look pinker, squinty,
Like loose slits on a snake.

Chew, chew, chew,
Medicine is not edible.
Gulp, gulp, gulp,
Cold water makes issues worst.

Now the heat is kept on,
To keep things warm.
Both humans leave at night,
The heat goes off.

Cough, cough, cough,
The temperature has dropped.
Swallow, swallow, swallow,
Panicking about lack of oxygen.

I walk into the house,
The very next morning, after work.
I notice something's wrong,
I do nothing right away.

Wash, wash, wash,
Getting ready for bed.
Sleep, sleep, sleep,
Peaceful dreams, aren't mine.

I wait for my roommate,
To leave and go to work.
I hesitate for a few minutes,
Then I clean out the cage.


(written December 15th, 2007)