He wanted the burrowing chipmunks

gone because they make hay

and threaten the backyard pond’s liner

and could chew through

one day.

He envisioned thousands of gallons of water

and twenty-five goldfish,

falling through

and making a backyard sandy,

seafood stew.

And so he thought he would find some

poison pellets

that would be tasty and pleasing to

any chipmunk’s palate.

Carefully, he poured the deadly concoction

into the many holes

around the upper and lower pools,

the chipmunks to fool.

He tried to keep the pellets which originally

were meant for moles

from littering and scattering beyond

the intended spots,

but some landed above ground within

reach of animals numbering lots.

The chipmunks were gone, hooray!

but he missed seeing the squirrels and

hawks and other birds of prey,

even the mean, old Bluejay.

Then one day,

he thought his big, Chocolate Lab

got into the fray

by eating some of the deadly mix.

The dog needed a fix

right away,

so he and his wife rushed the

dog to the vet

and sat in an office to pray

for their pet.

The dog’s stomach was pumped

and the man’s throat had a lump

and he decided Alvin and the

Chipmunks

could romp and play

and he would take the poison

away.

He hoped the squirrels,

birds, deer and others would

come back and stay,

while, for the pond

and the twenty-five goldfish,

he would continue

to pray.

Oh, and by the

way, the big Chocolate Lab

is A-Okay!