Uninvited Guests

Cherry

By luigi_pagano

Sat, 12 May 2018
  • 3299 reads
11 comments
 

At the bottom of the garden,
next to the wooden shed,
there is a pile of twigs
on which two foxes lie;
they're soaking up the sun
on this temporary bed.
These guests were uninvited
but they took it for granted
that we would welcome them.

They are not the only ones:
last night, in the dark,
a spiny hedgehog crawled
across my verdant lawn
as if he was taking
a walk around the park
but by the early dawn
he had gone to ground
and couldn't be found.

What with the goldfish
frolicking in the pond,
cats hiding in the grass
stalking the blackbirds
who've nested in the hedge
and worms that toil
to break up the soil,
I think I might open
an animal hotel.

© Luigi Pagano

Certificate U
Poem
Mutevoli pensieri
Inspiration Point (work that responds to our weekly writing cue)

Comments

Submitted by skinner_jennifer on

Lovely I P Luigi. Just my kind of poem.

Reminds me of the foxes we had sunbathing on our lawn a couple of years ago. I suppose our gardens are similar to an animal hotel, where creatures can come and go as they please.

Thank you for sharing this one.

Jenny.xx

 

Submitted by luigi_pagano on

Hi Jenny. we too had foxes sunbathing in the garden; they didn't seem scared when we went out and left in their own good time. Unfortunately I forgot to take a picture. The goldfish have now gone, possibly taken by a passing heron and have been replaced by frogs. Another creature I could have mentioned is a ferret that curled up inside a compost bin. Imagine my surprise when I lifted the lid to put some grass cuttings in. A kind neighbour tackled him.

Luigi xx

 

Submitted by Insertponceyfre... on

Lovely response to the IP Luigi. Someone wrote a poem to their ferret the other day (I'll try to find it) and after reading it I can see why you got someone else to help out

 

Submitted by luigi_pagano on

Thanks, Claudine,
​I had never seen a ferret in the flesh before but was aware of its reputation. I was told that it was reluctant to be removed from its cosy nest and tried to bite my neighbour. 

Best, Luigi.

 

Submitted by Insertponceyfre... on

Here you are : https://www.abctales.com/story/evancromwell/khans-song

 

Submitted by luigi_pagano on

Thanks for directing my attention to it. I found it most amusing, nicely rhymed, and well deserving of the cherry.

Luigi x

 

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

Nice to have so many garden visitors, and make this tribute to them! Rhiannon

 

Submitted by luigi_pagano on

I never cease to be surprised by animal activity in my garden, Rhiannon. In the past we had many squirrels balancing on top of fences but they seem to have disappeared of late.
Once a stray peacock landed on the lawn and despite several enquiries we never found out where it came from. It left of its own accord a couple of days later.
The cat I mentioned stalking the birds is not mine but wanders from garden to garden. One day, while I was sitting reading and sunning myself, he jumped on my lap and promptly went to sleep.
They all are a source of inspiration.

Luigi x 

 

Submitted by Philip Sidney on

Love these animal encounters.  The tadpoles are alive and growing - hoping for frogs soon. smiley

Submitted by luigi_pagano on

You won't be disappointed, Helen. You'll soon have a legion and with any luck they'll get rid of mosquitoes.

Cheers, Luigi x

 

Submitted by luigi_pagano on

An interesting fact, Jack. I am learning something new every day. Thanks for that.

Luigi