Tap Tappity Tap

Tap tappity tap
Whatever is that?
Something tapping on my brain
Something rolling down the drain

I grasp the cupboard handles
Yanking them open quickly
Following the sound with my eyes
It won't get away from me though it tries

Tap tappity tap - roooooll
Whatever it is
Bounces and rolls it's way along
My galvanized drain pipes with glee
Now clanking
Now clunking
Hitting the Tee bend with a gong

It's to the floor level now
I turn and run to the stairs
To the lower level I go
To stand and to wait
For the next sound it may create

Tap tappity tap - roooool - gong
There it goes
It's moving right along
I follow it along the pipe
Through floor joists and two by fours
There must not be any water sitting in there
Else whatever it was would need oars

It reaches the wall
Passing right through
With a tap tappity tap and a roll
I turn and run out the door
I need a tool now
This sound must be found

A quick stop in the garage
To grab my shovel
Then onto the lawn
My ear pressed to the ground
Thankfully with silence all around

Then I hear it

Tap tappity tap - rooooll - gong - kerplunk!
It's in the septic tank!
I've got it cornered now
I kick the rock aside
That sits atop the thin soil over my cleanout hatch
Shovel throws some dirt
Then pries the small hatch aside
Shining my flashlight down
I can scarcely believe my eyes

There rolling to and fro
Amidst all the waste and offal

Is a cockroach in a tiny exercise ball