# The Tale of Milly Mole



## Northerner (Feb 23, 2009)

Once upon a time
In a little earthen hole,
Lived a tiny little creature
Whose name was Milly Mole.

She had a thousand cousins who,
If laid limb to limb,
Could fill a litre measuring jug
Right up to the brim!

They had an unexciting life,
Where nothing much occurred
Until they chanced upon one day
A scientific nerd.

He said, ‘My goodness, look at you!
You’re just the perfect size
For me to measure sugar voles – 
I can’t believe my eyes!’

‘What do you mean?’ said Milly Mole
And all her cousins too,
‘We’ve never even heard of sugar voles
Till we met you!’

‘Let me explain’, the scientist said,
‘And all will soon be clear.
The sugar voles live in the blood
And are a source of fear.’

‘They like to live in people’s cells
But sometimes can’t get in
Because they need to wear a coat
Of shiny insulin.’

‘There are some people who produce
Some droplets of this stuff
But as their cells have sticky doors
It’s never quite enough’

‘For some, poor Percy Pancreas
Has given up the ghost,
And they produce no insulin
For when they need it most.’

‘The sugar voles remain outside
And there their numbers grow,
But if they cannot count them all,
The people never know.’

‘There used to be a way if they
Could pee upon a stick – 
But it wasn’t very sociable,
And it wasn’t very quick!’

‘And so I’ve made a meter which,
With just a drop of blood,
Can count up all the sugar voles,
Or, at least it *could*…’

‘I need something to live inside
And, when the blood comes in,
To count how many sugar voles
Can balance on a pin!’

‘And when you know, dear Milly Mole,
How many voles you’ve seen,
Why, then you’d type the number up
And show it on a screen!’

‘The people then would know the truth,
And they could make a start
To save their kidneys, eyes and limbs,
And hopefully, their heart!’

Well, Milly and her family
Said they could hardly wait
To help the humans count their voles – 
They thought it would be great!

So, when you take that drop of blood
And place it on the meter,
Remember please, the Milly Moles – 
A thousand to the litre!









(c) Northerner 2009. Please do not reproduce this without permission.


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## aymes (Feb 23, 2009)

Fantastic!!!


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## Vanessa (Feb 23, 2009)

Northerner, I've been enjoying your odes and limericks immensely but this one made me really laugh so thank you so much.  A good laugh is so therapeutic - now all I need is some effective equivalent of WD40 for those "sticky doors".


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## Caroline (Feb 23, 2009)

This is brilliant Norhtener, I am impressed. It has cheered my Monday no end...


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## Copepod (Feb 23, 2009)

*Moles and voles*

Another great poem!

_Talpa europaea _ European mole? Or _Heterocephalus glaber_ Naked mole rat? Or any one of about 28 other species of moles? Taxonomists change species rather more often than other humans believe possible!

And there really is a connection between sugar and voles - see http://www.jstor.org/pss/3801177 sugar content is higher in apple tree roots during winter, but roots are no more digestible, but there is less other food available, so pine voles _Microtus pinetorum_ eat more apple tree roots in winter. Can't say I've ever even heard of pine voles before, let alone given any thought to their diet!


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## Northerner (Feb 23, 2009)

Copepod said:


> Another great poem!
> 
> _Talpa europaea _ European mole? Or _Heterocephalus glaber_ Naked mole rat? Or any one of about 28 other species of moles? Taxonomists change species rather more often than other humans believe possible!
> 
> And there really is a connection between sugar and voles - see http://www.jstor.org/pss/3801177 sugar content is higher in apple tree roots during winter, but roots are no more digestible, but there is less other food available, so pine voles _Microtus pinetorum_ eat more apple tree roots in winter. Can't say I've ever even heard of pine voles before, let alone given any thought to their diet!



lol! Of course, I *knew* there was a connection...!


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## Caroline (Feb 23, 2009)

Northerner said:


> lol! Of course, I *knew* there was a connection...!




You are so modest...


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## Ikklemo (Feb 23, 2009)

An excellent poem - just when I really need cheering up, your timing could not have been more perfect.


I will thank Milly Mole and her family each time I use my meter.

Just keep the words flowing.


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## vince13 (Feb 24, 2009)

Northerner, just when I think you can't get any better - you do !

Now, of course, that is a very un-PC thing to say to a man these days - but what the heck !

Well done again - and thank you for brightening up my morning.


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## Freddie99 (Feb 24, 2009)

Northerner,

You've got me cracking up again  Makes a very dull Tuesday morning go that little bit more easily.

Tom H


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## carolyn (Feb 24, 2009)

Wow Northener, what a great poem, it's my first that I have read from you and keep them coming as it gave a big smile.

________
Mexicocity hotel


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## bev (Feb 26, 2009)

Northerner!

Absolutely amazing - but am i the only one that cried when i read it? At last the Milly Moles have a purpose!

On a serious note - why dont you have them published? I know that if we had read poems like this when first diagnosed we all would have found it easier to understand - and i think children particularly would find it very funny and its a great way of introducing them to science/biology!Bev x


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## sofaraway (Feb 26, 2009)

See if you can get them in Balance, they have a poem section in it I'm sure. 
I love your poems they always make me smile


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## Northerner (Feb 26, 2009)

bev said:


> Northerner!
> 
> Absolutely amazing - but am i the only one that cried when i read it? At last the Milly Moles have a purpose!
> 
> On a serious note - why dont you have them published? I know that if we had read poems like this when first diagnosed we all would have found it easier to understand - and i think children particularly would find it very funny and its a great way of introducing them to science/biology!Bev x



Actually, I did write it with the thought of children in mind - I had in my head a picture of one of those little illustrated books that you can get for younger children, with pictures of Milly and the sugar voles, and Milly working away inside the meter, happy in her task of helping out the humans in such an important task! Shame I can't draw!

I did write to the editor of 'Sweet' magazine to ask if they were interested in submissions, but haven't had a response. As I've had such a favourable response here, I'll have a try with 'Balance' as sofaraway suggests!


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## Northerner (Apr 2, 2009)

Northerner said:


> Actually, I did write it with the thought of children in mind - I had in my head a picture of one of those little illustrated books that you can get for younger children, with pictures of Milly and the sugar voles, and Milly working away inside the meter, happy in her task of helping out the humans in such an important task! Shame I can't draw!
> 
> I did write to the editor of 'Sweet' magazine to ask if they were interested in submissions, but haven't had a response. As I've had such a favourable response here, I'll have a try with 'Balance' as sofaraway suggests!



With my new-found skills, I have added a picture of Milly to the original post! Haven't heard a dicky-bird from Sweet or Balance, so am guessing it's not their type of thing.


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