Waking to the sound,
I know we are being robbed again.
Grabbing the flashlight, I race down the stairs
and onto the porch.
Shining the light into the night,
3 pairs of backlit red eyes
stare at me from the birdfeeder.
Damn raccoons!
2am masked marauders
stuffing their smiling mouths with all my sunflower seed.
They chitter and hiss as I clap my hands,
shooing them back into the waiting woods.
I switch off the light-
the dark enfolds me.
Its warm.
A still night with the cool air rising from the lake.
I can smell the water
and hear the stars sighing.
Closing the door,
I walk up the stairs
to the waiting warmth of a snoring husband
and the small dog nestled between us.
thecourseofourseasons 
I like how the desperate moment turns into opportunity to enjoy the night. Jane
Damn raccoons is right! I love how this ends in peace and comfort. The smell of water, oh yes.
Very nice!
What a way to start up from your sleep at night! Not the easiest of visitors to deal with. I like this very informal snippet of life.
This would be better than a mid-day visit from a raccoon in your garage after the cat food, but still annoying. I guess a raccoon’s gotta eat, too. Peace, Linda