Urban Mammals

I relate to

The fox and raccoon

Seen as pests

Yet endearing and lovable

They feed on scraps

Pushed to the fringes

Of society

Crystallized in folklore that

Warps over fires and time

Despised by many

Exploited for their

Extension of the spirit, the fur

But oft ignored

Compared to

The cats and dogs

Of the world

Who lounge,

Welcomed around the hearth

Or the rare leopards and

Delicate butterfly species

The intelligence of the

Omnivorous and resourceful

Raccoon or fox

Makes them a nuisance

Making us cope with

Our own encroachment

On their natural territory