Category Archives: Critters

Late Theft

Posted on December 6, 2020 by sputterpub

Well finally the leaves begin to turn;the fall has been delayed by climate change.For weeks our land and forests were a-burn,and now the local fauna’s acting strange.The critters that should shelter won’t adjourn –they flit and fly and don’t reduce … Continue reading →

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Prey

Posted on September 22, 2020 by sputterpub

Encountering evisceration of a hummingbird(its guts a ruby hue, its head apart),in less than half a second, half a step, the thought occurred:the neighbor’s cat had stopped a tiny heart. And then I spied that feline beast of ebony and … Continue reading →

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Small Animals

Posted on September 19, 2020 by sputterpub

Although the count was high, I left my space.I needed crackers for my favorite three-year old – the cheddar goldfish with a facethat make his own light up in pleasure’s beam.As I approached the street, I saw a traceupon the … Continue reading →

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Thrummingbirds

Posted on August 7, 2020 by sputterpub

I never saw so many hummingbirds in 13 years of living by this yard. If I’d attempt to put their sound in words, I’d mention “thrum:” soft tongue upon the hard- called palate right behind the upper teeth. I hear … Continue reading →

Posted in Coronaverse, Critters, Home, Poetry | Tagged | 2 Comments

Scat

Posted on August 1, 2020 by sputterpub

My yard is rodent-rich and bird-endowed, and harbors skunks and possums frequently, but we decided deer are not allowed – they munch too many blossoms. So we built a gate atop the entrance steps that cowed the eaters of our … Continue reading →

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Another Trivial Complaint (HA 109 Haiku)

Posted on July 4, 2020 by sputterpub

Appreciating crows above my redwood deck I loathe their white shit

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A Trivial Complaint (HA 106 Magic 9)

Posted on July 1, 2020 by sputterpub

I’ve dealt with worse incursions in the past – mosquito scouts and rodent mites and ants. Perhaps my irritation should be classed a side effect of house arrest, but I’m annoyed by common houseflies neither fast nor big: each easy … Continue reading →

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A Scurry of Squirrels (HA 74)

Posted on May 30, 2020 by sputterpub

A month ago, the music of the birds was serenade from dawn to nearly noon. Today to put the garden sound in words, I hear the insect buzz and squirrel zoom. The bees are drinking salvia and flies are bumping … Continue reading →

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The Neighbor’s Cat

Posted on March 30, 2020 by sputterpub

The neighbors have a cat that lives outside as if it were an apex beast of prey, evolved to wanton feats of avicide, and tearing plants his collar pulls away from trellises or tangles with the hose, refining talons scoring … Continue reading →

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Opossum Love

Posted on March 11, 2020 by sputterpub

At 6 a.m. one day last week, I heard a thump outside the window where I sat. I raised the shade to see what had occurred, and spied a pair of ‘possums going at it, either sex or play or … Continue reading →

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