The Animal Abode

The animal abode
was carefully tucked
into the back pocket
of the chocolate box neighborhood,
where every other piece of property
held a cottage,
and the mansions filled in between.
It was too homey of a home,
at least for me,
because we all lived there
and grew old there
and spent our summers at the beach
and winters in our eclectic houses,
year after year after year.
The animal abode
was not too homey, however;
in fact, I never knew it existed.
I had traced every trail
in the tiny community,
but there was no trail to lead me here.
I wish it were owned
by the animals.
I would spend all my days
living on this almost untouched
patch of land
until I had studied every inch
of this place, too.