St Maurice's High School: Cliona Ferguson

Hedgehog

The first time I saw it
Out the corner of my eye
Small, tiny
Nothing like my cartoons

Small, prickly
Like a toy
It sat, camouflaged
In the litter of leaves

Solitary, afraid, lonely
It sat in the cold night
The freezing autumn wind
Billowing around it

Smell of mushy bread and hot milk
Filled the house
As I took it out the microwave
Placed it in the cold night

My face pressed against the cold hard glass
I watched the little creature
It wriggled its little nose
As it ate

The other animals
Asleep
Oblivious to this little creature
Undisturbed in the night

Finished the food
It plodded away into the night
Not to return
But I wish it would
My Hedgehog

by Cliona Ferguson