Learning to Share

LEARNING TO SHARE

we try to be good neighbors
with an open gate welcome
for all manner of furry and feathered friends
we delight in hummingbird antics
wobbly knees of spotted deer
raucous cacophony of silver throated songbirds
parades of turkeys strutting and scavenging
occasional passage of elusive elk
massive moose, cagey coyote
all the while watching cherries turn red
tomatoes grow plump
an abundance of pears maturing toward
another batch of gingered pear preserves

enter yard left
one medium sized male moose
with impenetrable focus locked on pear trees
initially amused, increasingly indignant
we yelled, slammed, sprayed
and watched the creature rip and chew
stare back and stand his ground
stomp off and wander back
kneel and stretch, crunch and drool
his way through everything within reach
leaving trees tightly trimmed
a smattering of pears to ripen in the heights
while we wistfully long for jam

committed to living hospitality
we ponder sharing space with an inconsiderate behemoth
with an insatiable appetite
not inclined to fend him off with a fence or gun
[they were here first after all
after generations of open grazing on all trees
have been exiled by us]
we elect instead to receive the guest
enjoy the show
shop for pears