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Contemplating Caring for a Porcupine
by Ruth Sabath Rosenthal
A roof over its head, easily done.
Nurturing, quite another story.
Bathing—only with a long hose.
As for mealtime, the prickly thing
jumping up and down, impatient,
what cover-ups would repel
prick of quill? What if the rascal
had found those earlier,
ripped them to shreds? Get angry
and chance an antsy porcupine
turning combative? Pay dearly
for that, or, if the critter contrite,
savor the moment? And having fed
the robust rodent, if it yelps for more
but is on a diet, what would distract?
A game of Hide and Seek might,
though, if the quill ball should turn up
missing, how to know it would
fare well, and what angst to bear
if the poor thing was found
to have been the dinner
of some known predator
when all the porcupine wanted
was more gruel, and caring for
it well was all I ever wanted?