more squirrels than girls – and there are a lot of girls in this neighborhood

two horny squirrels on a tree

neighbors report a large groundhog … where are those dogs?

possum … how funny they look, running
their back arches, and both ends drop
nearly to the ground
how laborious!

a possum in the bottom of one of our plastic barrels
furrier than I expected
turn the cylinder on its side, still takes a while
for the critter to move off … injured? stunned? no idea

a young porcupine crossing Hill Street four doors down …
a neighbor watching from the stoop …

next night, a dead adult porcupine in the street

on our apron by the back door
a small snake, whip motion,
ever so slowly

Rachel awakens me
for a scurrying, gnawing noise
inside the wall, beside our heads

in the morning, I realize we haven’t heard
the house sparrows nesting in the eaves overhead, either

none of our plans come off as planned
but we keep readjusting

poem copyright 2016 by Jnana Hodson

~*~

For more of my home and garden poetry, click here.