Mysterious Monster

It only comes out at night, 
says Sophie. It eats pears.
It ate the lilac and some chard.

A path traces from the pokeweed thicket
and across the lawn.
So, woodchuck.
But we prefer monsters.

I had a backyard monster when I was Sophie's age,
the Walzak. He came out of the creek
each Halloween and fought the Pumpkin Man
and lost.
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photo credit Julian Halliday