Thursday, Jun. 19, 2008 - 9:44 p.m.
New Kid on the Block
***********************
because its been raining all week
wildlife I suppose has been setback
its usual big June advance'
the furred ones have been stuck
in some hole waiting it out
As I was walking back
from the corner store at dusk
I saw two baby skunks boldly
walking across the highway
towards garbage bags on the curb
I guess they are starving
and don't care
who sees them
but I made a mental note
that extra bold skunks suggest
that other meat eatin'animals
will be as hungry as they
and as bold
and may eat Taser
if I let down my guard
as I walked down the driveway
I could hear Taser
crying a little welcome call to me'
he had been sitting on the driveway
waiting in case I came out to fetch him
and take him down to the lake
for adventures as per usual
but tonight I was unable to comply
but he didn't know that
and sat friendless
as darkness fell
But when he saw me coming
he ran up to greet me
and then ran right back to a clump of Irises
where he had unfinished business
I wondered if he had a mouse or bird
and so sneaked up
to see what he was
so anxious to return to
There he was =
touching noses with a baby skunk
so much for rivalry or territorial defence
they were as happy to see each other
asa ny two cats
or probably, any two skunks
but as soon as the skunk saw me
he ran offto a neibours woodpile
where I imagine
his skunk family
was headquartered
Taser looked at me somwhat cross
as if I had just ruined something
i guess i had-
ruined his budding friendship
with a young skunk in the 'hood
I picked him up and smelled him
for traces of skunk on his lovely red fur
he was absolutely clean
and i was ashamed
for smelling him
with such groundless suspicion
I interupted an animal friendship
and i will pay the consequnces
maybe one night
the little skunk
will walk inside the house
and on Tasers invitation
stay for dinner
-its his option
as a fullfledged partner
..... however
i will draw the line
as senior host
if the skunk
decides to
crawl in bed
with us
afterall-
i would never sleep
in his woodpile
