My "pet" spinach

Every time we planted the new little plants
Something would come along in the night
Eat every single little leaf; yes; a night thief
Would steal away my joy; oh boy!
Was I mad? Yes indeed! What a cad!
Tried so many different ways; make him stay away!
But nothing worked! The little jerk!
That Popeye baby spinach thief!
Always gave me grief! until
We created a cage of garden staked
Thought we had it made! Tied with fine wire
Thought we'd made the grade!
Even sprayed them with chili-garlic spray
Hah! No way! It climbed up to the top
Wiggled its way through the bars!
No cigars! Ate our spinach once again!
Finally, at Bunnings we espied...
A couple of wire grates; fashioned into walls
A couple of hinged gates; and finally Fate
Smiled upon our tiny plants!
Six weeks later I can safely say
This freshly picked spinach made its way
Into our special meal! Shout hooray!
Yummy! The healthy meal we eat today!

The Rakali is a native water rat
It feeds on crustaceans when it might 
Other insects; critters and such
Are a part of its diet so I've read
When there is nothing else around
It eats vegetation; juicy roots and shoots
And baby spinach I guess; no less!

Saw one swimming by last night
Bypassing our little "pet" spinach plants
Caged and kept safely close to home!
It can eat other shoots and greens!
Am I being mean? If I delight at this sight?

Watching my little garden grow
Gives me so much more pleasure than you know
For, growing up in the Riverland
I have always loved to tend and grow
Just like my dearest dad; as you know
A fruit grower who loved the land
Tending everything with his own dear hands!

14th September 2019