Tiny ants crawl through sand
tunnels to the foundation,
up the wall, under the siding
around the window frame
into the kitchen.

Carpenter ants do the same
only eating their way along
the wood.

Termites who have feasted
on lumber left buried during
the construction, burrow
through the cracks in the
foundation to the virgin,
naked feast from the forest 
— the wood frame.

Chipmunks crawl between
the foundation and frame
lodging between studs to
chew on insulation, store
food and defecate.

Venomous snakes make
nests next to the mail
room and upper pool
waiting for field mice
and baby rabbits.

Roof rats climb fruit
trees in search of delect-
able oranges, grapefruit,
lemons. They scamper
over roofs looking for
a quarter-sized opening
to squeeze through on
their way to the
smells of food in the
condos below.

Coyotes climb the hills
early morning to hunt
rabbits, traversing the
association parking lot
picking up a small dog
or cat on the way.

Mountain lions hunker
down in trees in the
neighborhood waiting
for prey — peoples’
pets or chase cyclists
and runners along the
bike paths.

Black bears turn over
garbage cans on
their journeys through
subdivisions.

There was a time hunter-
gatherers broke camp
and moved on in search
of food according to the
seasons.

Post industrial/techno-
logical society calls the
exterminator.