*

*

one, skull crushed

the other, eviscerated

Such a mélange of triumph,

disgust, and guilt

once these twitching, furry bodies

sought crumbs, nest material

left shreds of tissue

tiny football turds

in MY car

Mornings before their demise

I found droppings,

glossy streaks of urine

on dashboard

on floormats

Had one peed

on my water bottle?

They chewed holes

in my yoga mat

and yoga bag

made a nest that jammed

 the air vent dial

A guy at the hardware store

mentioned how mice destroy

the wiring in the car

said his uncle killed a rat

with his shotgun—what a mess!

I paid for my four traps

Set the traps front and back

snapped my forefinger so many times

it bruised blue

And the next morning–

two dead mice.

I gave them a decent burial

out by the wild rose bush

said a Hindu prayer

contemplating

the impossible choice

that made me a killer