Of all the vile tales I've heard
Spoken by a grandmother's hearth
Of this I've never heard a word
A stranger tall and dark

Gentlemanly and appeasing
We willed his way into out hearts
But now they're gone and I am here
Alone with the stranger tall and dark

You do not like chess
You do not like tea
And most of all, you say,
You most certainly do not like me
You've worked your way here
Like the conniving devil you are
And you tell me, then it must have been a long way up
Such a distance upward, so far

Clever words, and a tongue like thorns
When I try to retort, you term me weak-willed
Of the likes of you, history never warns,
I say,
And your coal black eyes look me down
As you speak;

Put a sock in your mouth,
Kitten-kitten-kitten
Put fresh laundry on your tongue
Kitty-kitten-kitten
Put your thoughts in your head and not on your lips
Kitten-kitty-kitten
Before I bait you up a tree

Oh yes I listen,
I hear your words
I can hear the flutter of the hummingbirds
But one kitty less is one check mark on your list
I always hear what you've thought I missed
I tell, you, snide, I hear your voice
(As if I ever had a choice)

And oh, I can hear the butterflies cry
To "stroke a tiger's tail"
But I never do what the gold-wings say,
Because I've already crossed a shark

(Put a sock in your mouth
Kitten-kitten-kitten
Put fresh linen on your tongue
Kitty-kitten-kitten
Put your thoughts in your head and not on your lips
Kitten-kitty-kitten
before I bait you up a tree)

And all you say is all you know,
But your teeth in my heart is piercing my soul
And this I told you,
And this I said,
And I told you not to worry your serpentine head
Deadly thing and not my tea
Take your devilish remarks and be off with thee!

But
You only reply,

Put a sock in your mouth,
Kitty-kitty-kitten
For I've baited you
Up
A tree