Night Visitors

Put out food and water
in shallow plastic bowls,
sat by dark glass waiting
for shuffling and snuffling
bundle of spines to call.

At last a quick movement
attracted by the meal,
yet the long snake-like tail
spoke not of a hedgehog
but a hungry brown rat.

Next morning I searched round
for cosy nesting sites,
led by trails of droppings
to pallet compost bin
full of safe food and warmth.

Leather gloves and long stick
gingerly probed inside,
at its centre a ball
of hamster bedding waste
thankfully empty now
of Rat or any young.