Twas the night before the garage sale

Twas the night before the garage sale
And all through the house
Every human was stirring
(and more than one mouse)

The junk was all labeled
And priced with such care
In hopes that some buyers
Soon would be there

The children were nestled
Mid piles of stuff
“Mom!” they were saying,
“We’ve worked long enough!”

I labeled a kerchief
I priced a knit cap
And I was so tired
I needed a nap

When out on the lawn
There arose such a clatter
I sprang from my box
To see what was the matter

Away to the playhouse
I went like a flash,
For from that direction
I’d heard the great crash

“Oh dear!” screamed my Sister
“Look out below!
“There’s a mouse, there’s another!
“Oh dear and oh no!”

When what to my wondering
Eyes should appear
But eight tiny things
Which Aunt Bonnie would fear

And my little old mother
So lively and spry
And shouting so loudly
“The mice must all die!”

A box full of shoes
Now a box full of mice
So catch them! So kill them!
Just stomp, don’t think twice!

So we yelled and we screamed
And we stomped like a man
But the box tipped right over
And boy how we ran!

To the top of the porch!
To house! To the hall!
Now dash away dash away
Dash away all!

As dry leaves that before
The wild hurricane fly,
We ran away swiftly
And screamed for a guy

So down from the house
Our dear Steven, he flew,
Past the piles of toys
And other junk, too

With a little blue net
He scooped up the mice
Then he tossed them away
As though they were lice

Then he sprang to the house
And let out a whistle
And away he flew
Like the down of a thistle

But I heard him exclaim
As he ran out of sight
“I refuse to do any
More pricing tonight”

(Disclaimer: While true, the story is somewhat exaggerated.)