a gerbil neural pathway

some gerbils are just one color
some are spotted with others
Mongolian gerbils were a gift
from my nurturing Irish nurse mother

Siamese gerbils have dark tails and ears
although few gerbils ever inspire fear
furry family members proved too much
for my father, the angular German engineer

a cold look on that face of stone
we could never have predicted finding him alone
with gerbils running to and fro on his arms
watching us play had set a new tone

dad had become the gerbils’ best runway
he had formed a gerbil neural pathway
two tiny critters had changed him
they opened in dad the pet lovers’ gateway