The rhino, armored like a knight,
With two weapons — his sheer tonnage
And the horn sticking from his snout —
Will never hesitate to fight.
The least intrusion sparks his rage.
He’s a bully, a brute, a lout.
He stalks my back yard foraging
For greens he pulls with toothless gums.
The songbirds, opportunist bums —
Chickadees, titmice, and waxwings —
Blanket his back all day for free,
Though he’s kept bug-less by the bee-
Eaters. I’ve learned to dodge my fears.
Each day I scratch behind his ears.
