Upon exiting side door nearest
to our single bedroom
(a few dozen strides to access said way
out apartment - complex edifice),
I unexpectedly encountered
(on August 30th, 2021
~10:15 post meridian -
née namely heard but did not see),
a small screeching creature
whose anatomical features it did splay

yours truly raced (fast as greased lightning)
back to our unit (b44)
breathlessly describing
frightful scenario to spouse
her skeptical response equivalent to naysay
ying, nevertheless found me burrowing
under blankets temporarily, silently,
and roughly exalted hooray
to release pent up fear and allay
uneasiness that encompassed mine psyche.

Hence... all plans to travel exotic lands
across the seven seas
versus going to zoo
(to befriend endangered animals)
went out the window made of
carefully decorated, engraved
and finished (polished) yew,
which wooden frame father made (who
taught himself carpentry - his real job
mechanical engineer at General Electric,
but he much preferred to build true

lee awesome contraptions, I
(his prodigal son) can attest
when yours truly happily did passthrough
childhood whereby papa built us
(three progeny - two girls and one boy)
a playhouse with chimney and flue
(accoutered with modern conveniences)
actually futuristic trappings, thus
other neighborhood kids knew
where to head and eschew
conventional trendy artificially intelligent
toys – batteries not required.

Hyperbole ye may suspect at thee above
and consider absolute zero
believability, yet exaggeration
contains more'n kernel of truth - hello...
honest to dog complex edifice arrayed with stove
and similar appliances
(all General Electric brands) forsooth

plus attractions luring garden variety bugaboo
such as the critter
which crossed paths me yesterday
finding yours truly helpless regarding what to do
unfortunately creature not soft and cuddly,
nor the least bit similar to bunny foo foo,
thence (as notated in the first stanza) hitherto
fast as these spindle shanks of mine
could carry very liberal minded Jew,
(albeit non practicing)
made immediate headway to loo
derived from the French phrase
'guardez l'eau', which means

'watch out for the water,'
a much less severe dictate
versus potentially rabid little beast new
lee entranced with human beings,
who mostly think themselves superior
to other living entities even
abhorrent toward one
generic nonestablishmentarian parvenu
namely me, who ofttimes doth rue
foregone opportunities,
which ***** and pierce consciousness
namely getting a dragon tattoo.