A Troublesome Trio by Joan Currie

In the oak beside my house, there lived three sprites,
Three mischievous squirrels, with morning delights.
At six they’d start, with a thump and a leap,
On my bedroom roof, disturbing my sleep.

They’d dig up my tulips, so eager and keen,
Gnaw at my porch, where they often were seen.
Cracked acorns scattered, my yard was their feast,
These furry intruders, to say the least.

I grumbled and muttered, “A nuisance, no doubt,
These bothersome squirrels I can do without.”
Yet, one fateful day, my neighbors took heed,
They chopped down the oak, the squirrels left – Godspeed!

No more early wakes, no more tulips dug,
No gnawing on wood, no playful bug.
But silence grew heavy, the mornings so still,
I found myself missing their antics and thrills.

Now I wonder, where did they roam?
These mischievous friends, onto other homes.
Though I complained and wished them away,
I long for their presence at the break of day.

Be careful for what you wish for! After the squirrels left, a groundhog moved into my backyard – a much bigger nuisance than the squirrels ever were.