What Is Your Animal Spirit Guide? (A Poem for Day Thirteen of PAD)

I thought I would take on the full challenge and write a sestina. Only yesterday was a busier-than-usual day, so I had to finish this today and it needs additional editing. To keep up with the challenge though, you can read the work-in-progress below.

Day Thirteen prompt for PAD:

For today’s prompt, write an animal poem. Pick a specific animal or write about your animal spirit. Maybe you’ll get tricky and write about mustangs (meaning the car) or jaguars (meaning the American football team). Maybe you’ll do an acrostic, or even go crazy and write a sestina (crickets).

A Raccoon Delivering a Message?

Nocturnal Chitterings from Animal Guides

Somewhere around the middle of self-examination, raccoons
splashed into my internal chaos, slipping a dip in my pool
of confusion, leaving behind a delicate message
I yearned to interpret. Wait by the corner just beyond
sheltered borders of your complacency, spread yourself, unfold
your soul, and embrace your endearing curiosity.

But sleep won me over, wooed back to slumber by chittering curiosity
bouncing from bedroom walls to backyard grounds where raccoons
tip-toed in, took quite a drink, their possessiveness beginning to unfold
and take a lick at solitude I’d gotten used to beyond
the last twenty years of beer mugs, dartboards, and pool
tables, unable to hear signals of smoke hidden as a message.

My eyes drifted back to planes where spirits floundered with a message
for those in touch enough to see, nurture innocent curiosity
about things eyes cannot perceive, only senses beyond
the usual five can enhance awareness for talking with raccoons
or interpreting things they do when they pool
around your life, helping your spirit to unfold.

Still, nocturnal creatures at each corner yearned to unfold
the fleeting earth, draw attention to time’s sacred message:
take off your mask, trust in others, pool
resources with those of like curiosity.
I began comprehending signals from those raccoons
weeping and screeching—what is greatest lies beyond.

So lost in the depths of immobile-bodied dreams beyond
any I’d ever had, my understanding of existence began to unfold.
Yet refusing to let go of my time and attention, those raccoons
tried once again from outside and in to get across the full message.
Refuse to lose yourself in daily routines, nurture curiosity
for all grand things, and take a plunge in life’s nourishing pool.

By this time, I was quite exhausted, splashes in my backyard pool
disturbing me again. Stomping to sliding door, I looked beyond
the raccoons’ outer appearance, admiring their curiosity.
Pursuing desires left them unafraid. I’d watched their character unfold
before my tired eyes, once and for all receiving the message
from those masked bandits disguised as raccoons.

Quench your thirst for curiosity with a spin in life’s pool,
buoyant with vigor. I’m left thankful those unwavering raccoons navigated beyond
from their home to mine all to unfold this vital, now-recognized message.

*****