I laugh, relaxed on the couch, at Instagram raccoons.
At their bad-posture-spines and their chubby bellies.
How sweet, a paper towel roll over its nose or playing, like a human,
with a television remote control
So adorable reaching from under the porch with their black gloved hands
Grabbing a snack.
I like it
I think we have the same spines but,
Different habits
I take melatonin so I can fall asleep at a regular hour,
I put cream under my eyes to avoid dark circles,
I wash my face twice a day
Scrolling, I see my friends at lunch, with more friends at a party
Scrolling, I see a raccoon looking vicious
The light-up-the-night-flash contrasts with the black yard
Teeth are bare white, shiny and
Pointed at the tips like fresh mountains.
It’s mostly menacing with lovable eyes
A cat-dog baby wearing black-rimmed movie star glasses
He purrs. I feel like I’m there.
I like it
It’s one thing to follow raccoons on Instagram and another to follow them in real life,
But I am heading into the night.
Dressed in grey fleece, black gloves, and a hat,
Peeping around, I’m looking for their feeding ground.
Did I forget to wash my face?
To watch my posture?
In my hunt I curl over and toss on the grass a leftover banana peel,
A crust, scraps.
Tsk tssks tskk—a raccoon?
I see him under that alpine hickory,
You want a nibble?
Reach out that paw and grab it,
He does, he looks at me as if he wants me to take a bite too,
I do. We have a meal together—he calls over some more friends.
Their teeth are bare—noshing into my potluck snack.
We eat together
And continue into the night, not like on Instagram,
Like a new group of friends. I like it
