Down by the pond and the dried up brook
My family gathers for a barbecue.
Under the hickory trees, the evening is lively,
Quickly filling with jokes and banter
From relatives who rarely see each other.
At one point, someone stops to listen
Prompting others to do the same
Until all conversation stalls as we hear
A rumbling coming from beyond our eyes.
Everyone turns to the approaching sound
When suddenly, a black bear crests the hill
Followed by another and then another
Until an entire sleuth of bears, thirty strong
Fills the valley in which we reside.
Everyone crams into the small shed
My sisters and I used to play in as kids,
But the door will not lock from the inside.
We take turns holding the door shut.
