It stops and observes, a pair of lives nearby,
But it couldn’t help to overhear, for so long,
The emotions, the anger, the desperation,
Two people – humans - who are so unhappy.

They make love or…make sex, so often,
But it must be without love or caring,
They get so physical in bed – so much enjoyment,
But is it just a drug, a quick euphoria?

To get their minds off of their lives?

I have a wife mouse,
And a little nest,
And some scraps of food here and there.

And I love her so much. And she loves me.
I am the luckiest mouse in the world.

I would do anything for her, but can do so little,
She is more than happy with what little food I bring back each day,
But she seems happier to see ME than even the food,
My God how she loves me.

They’re arguing again.
Someone’s out of cigarettes, and there’s no money to buy more,
Another drug.
They are so young, so full of life…and of love’s potential.

I imagine if my wife mouse suddenly passed on,
And I were to be alone,
Her love would live in me, until I saw her again.

I would not throw myself to the cat, to end it all,
To be with her again,
She wouldn’t want that.

The six months we were together,
Would sustain me for a lifetime.
An hour of her love would sustain me a lifetime.

And I know from the bottom of my heart,
That she would throw herself at the cat,
To save me.

What do you say to that kind of love?

If a mouse could talk, I would tell them:
That life is hard.
That you often cannot get what you want.
That merely surviving is an accomplishment.
That cigarettes burn.
That alcohol destroys.
That sex without love is empty.
That your hearts are crying.
And take a second look at what you have,
Two hearts, each in a prison,
With the keys of freedom,
Locked in a vault of drug-induced coping and poor choices.
Put the drugs and booze down,
And look at each other, for the first time.