RACOON TROUBLE
Racoons are such cute animals to see,
little bandit faces, eyes as bright as can be,
can be very friendly, may make a good pet,
but the ones in my back garden are set
upon seeking for worms, pull up our new laid grass,
leaving it all curled back as they hunt and pass
on to other places and do the very same thing,
death and destruction to the lawn they will bring.
We made up our minds to beat them somehow,
cover the lawn or to peg it down was our vow,
we found a large plastic sheet and some wood,
covered the part they dug the most, then they should
stop all the digging and our lawn should grow.
the first night was fine but in another patch did show,
all over the wood and plastic paw prints were seen
where the frustrated racoons hunting had been.
Another large sheet of plastic to lay each night
to try and keep the racoons digging with delight,
now they notice the tomatoes and nibble them as well,
with those racoons you can never really tell
what they will do next to keep you on your toes,
maybe as they eat and dig turn on the water hose,
I hope they soon get sleepy for their nocturnal nap
for a resourcefulness and strength they will sap.
I know they look cute on paper or a card
but having them as neighbors is very hard.

(Millicent) Ann Margetson September 10, 2003