Backyard Neighbors

Don't know when you took the liberty to move in

And established a home under mine

I was pestered by the sight of

Your family of four ambling in my yard

Frolicking around as if you own the land

Digging and burrowing here and there

My lawn, with pits and mounds, disfigured

Like long neglected by a slothful owner

Deprived was my joy of harvesting and savoring

Fruits fresh from my trees

Those labor-intensive goods frequently

Wasted with a single bite from your teeth

Or else I eat your leftovers

Before dawn awakened by

Ghostly splashes from outside

Only to find your gang taking over

My pool for a jovial party

Totally unconstrained as if you were

The sovereign of the night world

You, four-legged neighbors,

Impinge on my ownership right

No less than the two-legged one

Who from time to time

rocked our neighborhood with

Roars of loud music way past midnight

By Shih-Fang Wang

From: United States