Walter de la Mare: Five Eyes

Lyrics

In Hans' old Mill his three black cats Watch the bins for the thieving rats Whisker and claw, they crouch in the night Their five eyes smouldering green and bright: Squeaks from the flour sacks, squeaks from where The cold wind stirs on the empty stair Squeaking and scampering, everywhere Then down they pounce, now in, now out At whisking tail, and sniffing snout; While lean old Hans he snores away Till peep of light at break of day; Then up he climbs to his creaking mill Out come his cats all grey with meal - Jekkel, and Jessup, and one-eyed Jill