Mysterious Monster
It only comes out at night,
says Sophie. It eats pears.
It ate the lilac and some chard.
A path traces from the pokeweed thicket
and across the lawn.
So, woodchuck.
But we prefer monsters.
I had a backyard monster when I was Sophie's age,
the Walzak. He came out of the creek
each Halloween and fought the Pumpkin Man
and lost.
photo credit Julian Halliday
