Opossum in a persimmon tree–say it three times fast. I caught this guy one morning on my walk with Charlie through the neighborhood. Does he look guilty to you? He didn’t move at all while I wandered to different perspectives to take his portrait. He was suspicious, yes, but completely still. Charlie didn’t bark. I don’t think he saw the opossum. We, opossum and I, however, locked eyes, and I will never be the same. These creatures usually freak me out, but this one…this one…was different somehow. Maybe it was the persimmon tree backdrop or his innocent guilty stare. Tempted to name him, I’ll just post his portrait here for you to muse about.
Leave a small poem in the comments. I’ll be back to post mine. Be kind in your responses to other writers. Enjoy!
Opossum in a persimmon tree
Margaret Simon, draft
Staring right back at me
Did I catch a thief
or make a new friend?
Reflections on the Teche 
On this almost-winter morning
a possum prepares to slumber
among the persimmons.
We pause,
gaze,
wonder,
wishing each other well.
Wishing each other well… love it… those gazes with wild ones are the best.
Love the connection you catch between person and possum!
Ah, someone who takes this chance meeting and makes it something grand. I am curious if those little guys are sweet or not, I need to do a bit of research!
Rose, how lovely. No fear exchanged, just wondering and a cordial salute.
Such a nice soft almost winter poem. I returned to the tree yesterday on my walk and ALL the persimmons were gone. That rascal ate every one!
On the plus side
The heart-shaped face
The dear round ears
The tight tiny grip
The pink nub of nose
I’m ambivalent about
Her black beady eyes
But the naked tail
I bet is why
She hides all day
Not sure I completely trust those black beady eyes either, but I love the “tight tiny grip.”
Ha–that naked tail! In my neck of the woods they are often missing a piece of tail, because of freezing temperatures.
I have such a hard time NOT rhyming… now I want to add a last line: And seems so shy. What to do with an urge to rhyme all the time? When does it work? ;0)
Hi Karen,
I rarely rhyme and admire those who do it well. I like how you have brought this possum to life in your descriptions!!! Oh…those beady eyes and naked tail, not really a fan.
Karen, I was also struck by the claw and grip.
You captured a just right portrait here…that tail…yuck.
I’m imagining a response from your new pal…
Margaret’s Opossum Speaks
I see you staring up at me,
beneath my prized persimmon tree.
Uncertain eyes. A wavering smile.
What is your trick, your crafty guile?
I wait. I watch. I huddle here
until you turn and disappear.
Nice one, Buffy! The prized persimmon tree just one of several alliterations.This serves up a most likely response.
Nice! Love this response from the opossum. You make rhyme seem effortless (although I know it is anything but)!
So awesome!!
Hmm, the opossum……simply turns and wanders away. I don’t get the feeling they’d make much of a pet or friend. Again, I could be wrong. (But will not be venturing to figure it out!! )
The rhyme in your poem works so well, Buffy.
I love the shift in perspective, Buffy!
I went with humor today…not a fan of unanticipated wildlife in my “path” ie me personally. Anyone else is welcome to their own opinions!
Surprise!
Little opossum staring at me,
an unlikely sight, you up in that tree.
I’m not a fan, don’t like your charms,
maybe you need to head to a farm.
Then we both can live
happily ever after!
Janet, your humor works well in this poem that has a fairytale thought added to it.
Great sense of humor here.
Once about a year ago a possum sauntered in our yard. I thought it was not a cute sighting. I did get a photo I think. Someone told us that while it might have found a hole/home in the ground under our shed made by another creature (forget at the moment which type) they did not usually stay long in any one location. Luckily it moved on rather soon after it appeared, and the other critter had been relocated to farm land several miles away and hasn’t been seen since. My neighbor has a garden she encloses with fencing to keep the munchers away. We do have deer on occasion as well. While in a village setting, there are a lot of woods and meadows not too far afield! While my parents tried to make me a nature girl, I am far happier at zoos and aquariums where I can wonder and appreciate on my terms. 🙂 PS yours was definitely cuter, ie southern charm I am thinking!
Margaret, your encounter with the opposum led to an interesting poem. Which response will be yours.
quiet mysterious stare
stay-away-from-me locked eyes
interruption acknowledged
no time for small talk
I’m on a mission
©CV, 2021
New Fact: Oppossums climb trees if hiding from a predator or looking for food.
Carol… I bet they are on a mission! Here’s another fact: an opossum is the perfect animal to have around if you have ticks in your yard… they love to eat ticks…and deer bring in a lot of ticks. Lots of deer in my area.
Thanks for commenting and adding another fact, Karen.
“No time for small talk/I’m on a mission” is a clever way to express the opossum’s gluttony.
Oh, happy about the tick part! And Carol, did you ever see one on LI? Not I. Your last line reminded me of what I wrote about in my comment above. They appear to move on, ie travelers to a new space, hopefully taking a bunch of tick food as they go!!
An opossum sat on my grill,
Hoping for a tasty meal.
There he sat and sat and sat,
until he wasn’t any longer where he had been at.
I looked around, but he was gone
Most likely traveling across my lawn.
He walked and walked and walked,
on his journey, he saw dogs and people who talked.
After many miles, opossum stopped at a Permission tree to rest,
It was there he looked up to see a meal that might be best.
Up the trunk opossum went, to sit amongst the fruit
But, he was tired from his travels so he ate none of the loot.
© Carol Labuzzetta, 2021
Where my poem comes from: I have an opossum photo myself of one sitting on my grill. My poem starts with my photo and ends with the photo Margaret shared that wants to be a poem!
Have you ever watched them walk? They look just like the little rascals that they are. Cute poem adventure of the opossum. Thanks for joining in today.
Yes! The one that was one our grill walked along the deck railing. There he/she sat staring at me the whole time I used the grill! They are interesting creatures!
I looked at this photo several times and got nowhere with it until today, after reading Buffy’s poem. Simple and silly, but I had fun. Thanks for the inspiration!
Your beady eyes,
Your pointy nose,
Your wispy, wild hair.
I pause, I watch,
I’m cautious now —
I hold your wary stare.
You falter first,
You shift a limb,
You turn and walk away.
I raise my head,
I claim my prize,
The possum wins today!
Delightful. I’m glad you persevered. Love the sounds of wispy wild hair and wary stare.
Peek-a-boo branches
Lau byes breezes
a sweet smiling face
peeking from a hammock of trees
rocky-a-buy
sleep tight
sweet dreams good night
my new little friend
poem by Jessica Bigi
Thanks for joining in. Love how the possum plays peek-a-boo.