On my first day of school I felt nervous and shy
as I sat on the floor with my classmates nearby.
Our new teacher sat down and said, ‘Hi, girls and boys!’
Which is when we all heard a mysterious noise.

‘What is that?’ she exclaimed, as she looked all around,
while we stayed still as mice without making a sound.
Then we heard it again! It was quiet but clear:
someone rustling a bag, and the sound was quite near.

‘Who is that?’ she implored. ‘Will you stop it, all right?’
But we all had our hands in our laps, in plain sight!
So, our teacher jumped up and she searched everywhere,
looking under the desks and behind her grey chair,

while I cowered in fright. What was making this noise?
Were there monsters in here? Or some troublesome boys?
‘I just want to go home to my mum and my dad
and be safe by their side,’ was the thought that I had.

Then I happened to glance at the bin by her chair.
Could it possibly be the noise came from in there?
Then my teacher looked too, and she picked up the bin
and she pulled out the bag that was resting within.

Through the thin plastic bag, we could easily see,
along with some shavings, and a tissue or three,
was a little grey mouse trying hard to get out!
I heard somebody scream, and then someone else shout.

But my teacher just frowned and marched straight cross the floor
with that bag in her hand, but she paused by the door.
‘I’m just taking this mouse to the principal’s room.
Can you please sit and wait? I’ll be back very soon.’

As she walked through the door I let out a huge sigh.
There were no monsters here. There was no need to cry.
There is nothing to fear from poor little grey mice.
It’s the mouse that was scared! And I know that’s not nice.

But our teacher is smart, and the principal’s kind;
so I knew they’d try hard, and they’d manage to find
all its sisters, its mum, its mouse brothers and dad.
Then the mouse would feel safe and we’d all be so glad.

© Kristin Martin 2018