Once Upon a Time...

there was a mouse that dreamed
of being a wolf

every feral feline throughout the forest
would quiver at the mention of him

his mere howl at the moon
echoing through the trees
would claim one
or more
of their nine lives
as their hearts raced
to a stop

instead of scurrying from hole to hole
with a colony of mice
he would walk calmly
with his pack

instead of small
he would be big

instead of being hunted
he would hunt

instead of living in fear
he would instill fear in all things living

once upon a time
there was a mouse that dreamed
but as he kept dreaming
that time passed
and it never came to be

and now the rat
between the teeth of a cat
sees how useless a dream can be