Investigated electric oven tripping circuit breaker. Found two mice lodged in thermostat wiring perished

as result of electrocution causing circuit breaker to trip. Replaced fuse with plug in 32A circuit breaker.

– Simon, Energy Safe Victoria invoice.


My mother does not like to harm the mouse.

In fact she leaves little piles of biscuit crumbs

for it, and the mouse, singular, is probably

grateful. Each night she sets a trap,

an innovative device that will not squash

the creature, but holds it captive with a last meal

of pumpkin seeds or peanut butter.

Each morning she finds the mouse,

(it is always the same one), cowering at the bottom.

She talks to it softly, Don’t worry,

it’ll be all right. Then she hobbles outside,

takes it across the road, unloads it

in the long grass of the vacant block opposite.

We joke that it will be back inside before she is.

Isn’t it odd that the electrician has found two?

A nice boy who said it might have been a fire hazard.

She does not believe us when we tell her,

(given all her biscuit crumbs),

there is not one mouse she spies

from the corner of her eye.

There are fifty.

They are running rings around her.

Nevertheless, and I admire her for this,

she does not like to harm them – It! It.

Each morning she empties her trap,

setting its solitary captive loose,

fly little mouse, run free,

standing a while in the long grass,

longer and longer, the day repeating itself

with comfort in the repetition,

fly little mouse,

dew soaking through her slippers.