Two feral cats established residence
On our front patio. An alpha male
(Our neighbor’s collared pet) masters the fence,
And joins their daily meals (this, without fail!)
As the yard’s small peaches ripen, a pair
Of squirrels (we call them Ben and Jerry)
Pluck, taste. They drop green fruit disdainfully,
Then gnaw our ripened crop with genteel care.
Meanwhile, two love-bird jays nesting among
The limes, squawk, fly into the house to snatch
Peanuts from our table. Often they stash
Their loot in ornaments—thrifty bulwark
Against future famine. Each night, a pair
Of possums come to scoff away the day’s
Leftover stuff—their clumsy clatter, clear
Evidence of wild foraging buffets.
And we?—these creatures’ cornucopia,
Administrating their utopia.
(7/2/07)