Pandemic of Pie

Pie’s shoes had holes,

his toes stuck through,

this ragamuffin man

holding his musical pipe -

tra la la la!

Garments were multi colored -

he whirled his arms

and boasted of charms

and promised the mayor

to get rid of the rats -

rat-a-tat-tat

and that was that.

Bubonic plague

from diseased rodents

festered and spored,

was greatly abhorred.

Pie didn’t say much

as he led all the rats

out of town to the river

where they splashed

and drowned.

No one felt bad,

no one was sad,

in fact, they were glad

but miserly mayor

had nary a prayer

as he refused to pay

the pied piper.

The piper got even

as he led all the kids

out of town

never, ever

to be seen again.

But rumor had it,

he sold them

to slavery,

or led them all

to drown in the river –

save me, save me!

Or maybe, worst of all

he was a pedophile

with treacherous guile

who kept the kids

for his own use.

But there’s no excuse

for not paying this man

imagine if you can

that this is a true story -

just look skyward at

stained glass window -

memorial to children

while their spirits

flow lofty and high

and Pie lives on.