Have you ever been kissed by a rat?
An affectionate little nibble.
Sophisticated whiskers.
Its accidental bite.

I had a friend once.
Her daughter was punk.
Kept a rat like they do.
Where she went Ratty went,
a white epaulette on her shoulder.

Slid down the sleeve of my jacket
like a rope tumbling down a shaft.
Its little fingers on my skin
tickled me pink.

I foresee a new kind of rat
escaped from the genetics laboratory,
breeding like a multiplication table,
big as a person
and dead friendly.

I'm not sure about rats.
As they tumble down history,
their press has largely
been bad.
Yet
I'm drawn to them somehow.
They have huge charm.

Sure they don't mean to
do you any harm.