Various Verses

Let's Be Good Neighbors

Let's be good neighbors
To animals wild,
Following rules that
Good sense has compiled:
Pick up our litter;
It might make them sick.
Trash left around
Can be swallowed down quick.
Let's throw away
All the things that we ought,
So curious creatures
Are not hurt or caught.
Let us not touch them
Or capture or feed;
Nature will give them
Whatever they need.
So let us remember,
As wisdom has shown:
Look at them, listen,
But leave them alone.

—Diane Lang

We know this is true.
So what can we do?

Let us not 'specially
Fish hoots and line:
Two of the worst
That a critter can find.

Cover our trash cans;
Keep pet food inside,
Or we'll attract creatures
From spots far and wide.

Street drains connect
Right to ocean or bay,
So let's never use them
To throw things away.

When pests swallow poison,
That's not where it stays:
It's passed on to others
Who take them as prey.

Sticky traps also
Have outcomes not planned,
With animals caught
Both from air and from land.

All those birds nesting
In summer and spring
Means pruning in winter's
A wise and kind thing.

How else can we strive
To help critters thrive?

No cookies, no crackers,
No pretzels, no bread.
Bakeries make nothing
That ducks should be fed.

Songbirds are hunted
Near where we reside,
But they can't be captured
By cats kept inside.

Six-pack connectors
Are light and can stray,
So cut them apart
Before throwing away.

Even balloons
That we let go to fly,
Desckend and are swallowed
By critters nearby.

Plastic bags often
(If not knotted tight)
Are blown to the ocean
Where animals might
Think they are jellies
And gobble them up,
So let's keep a note of
Each bag, plate, and cup.