Oh, the Joys of Living in the Country!

Hassled by Animals

So the Redtailed Hawk sat atop our cinnabar barn,
Taunting us with his intent to catch and eat a chicken;
He’s still around (maybe a she?) with others
of his tribe.

I spot scat from the bobcat-chicken killer,
run off but never really gone.

Then the runt chicken I call Suzi,
Began her new habit of jumping on my back
To get me to feed her extra as she’s
Scared of the big girls pecking.

Somebody is biting me in the night.
Spiders? Oh, no; fleas? Mites?

And then there was the not-so-friendly
Skunk on the Gardener’s Path to the front door
I first mistook for my big black cat,
Slowly lifting his tail as I, also slowly
Backed down the trail and walked
Around the road to the back door.
Whew!