Voices From Cinderella - part 2

The Rat's Ride

Tonight I was scurrying by the stone wall,
nose sniffing, tail switching, all wary with worry.
The night semed so strange, I wondered if a cat had sneaked to the garden in search of a meal.

I thought I heard bells.

I froze by the rosebush and listened with fear,
when a flash of bright light seared me. Then,
stretching and stretching, my muscles quite wretchedly
stretched and lenghtened, took on a
new shape!

My useful front paws grew huge and became
heavy hands without claws, dangling down by my hips.
In place of hindquarters, long legs touched the ground.
I grew a flat face. Gone was my muzzle. I had no snout!

Where were my whiskers, a-twitching, a-tremble?
This nose could sniff nothing of smells in the air.
Where was my soft fur? My sleek pelt, my pride?
My bare hide was covered with coarse cloth.
It screatched.

Where was my tail, long and slim, a-switching?
Totally gone! Just a memory of motion.
I tried to chage back--shift--
shiver into rat shape.
Shrink.
Think rodent. Sniff for ratness.

No luck;
I was stuck in that clumsy
big
body.

Then I was riding on a box with wheels.
It stopped for a long time
and now I sit, immobile, on top.
In plain view, where cats can see me!
I try to keep smelling for danger nearby.
Sniff. Sniff.
Finally, noises of running. Bells start to chime.
Sniff. Sniff.
MORE enchantments this time?

I count bells--
nine, ten,
eleven, twelve.
Silence.

Sniff.
What dangers?
Sniff-Wait!

Something unique is happening- sniff-
Oh, ratness!

Eeek, eek!
Squeeeak, squeeak squeeak!

Free! Free!
I'm me!

Next poem: The Other Slipper