The spider in the shower
has spun its web diagonally across one corner
of the window casing. Large abdomen, small head
and long legs. It's put itself where something might
crawl from outside through a small crack.
It does not look very lucky so far.
When droplets of shower spray dangle from
the threads, it hugs them hungrily
against its body and frantically spins a cocoon
around the translucent prey. Over and over
it has done this. Its mechanical ferocity
fueled by hunger amuses and horrifies me.
How many desires am I driven by, embracing
a phantom that biology serves up on a dish?
(c) copyright 2012 Charles David Miller. All rights reserved.
Tuesday, April 3, 2012
Spider
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heck charles...what a gorgeous metaphor...really..gave me the chills...and not because of the spider...great work
ReplyDeleteugh man...great lesson there in the end...and how many times do we grasp the first thing that hits the web then cocoon it so we can horde it away for another day...very nice metaphor...
ReplyDeleteTerrifying thought--and that picture is going to stay with me a long time--i know I've spun way too many empty cocoons myself. This one puts a great deal into a small and perfectly balanced package--excellent writing, Chaz.
ReplyDeleteYikes! Spiders!
ReplyDelete:-)
Great poem, love the metaphor... reading again without the fear of spiders in my way!
Damn- this slapped me in the face! How many times have in my life have I just grabbed the first thing that has come along, whether women (who I've fallen in love with straight away and then destroyed the relationship through my own insecurities), work- how many times have I grabbed the first opportunity- even though It doesn't interest me. This just spoke to me on o many levels. Absolutely brilliantly written....
ReplyDeleteThis is very thought-provoking. Wonderful metaphor for doing things that seal our fate in a less than positive way! I will not look at spiders in quite the same way again.
ReplyDeleteThat's really good!
ReplyDeleteWow, you just bring it every time.
ReplyDeleteThe metaphor works so well, and since I do love spiders, it appeals to me that much more.
Even if our eight legged friend is working off instinctive desperation.
Excellent write.
Great metaphor! I tend to save them and let them outside--where they can eat in my garden--Great piece!
ReplyDeletei just love that last line. someone should paint that abstractly!! then they could use it as a prompt.
ReplyDeletepportunity on mars
Very direct and focused writing in this. The images are so real...But it's a great metaphor, too. The best of all worlds. Excellent poem.
ReplyDeleteNice reflections, using webs and spiders as metaphors. Your last two lines posed an interesting question :
ReplyDeleteHow many desires am I driven by, embracing
a phantom that biology serves up on a dish?
A lot of times...but its a learning experience... how do you know unless you have touched it or got ensnared ????
I experienced this one viscerally, exquisite.
ReplyDeleteThis is a great poem you seemed to have weaved, and us the readers are the prey. It looks like you captured us.
ReplyDeleteMy poem: http://leah-jamielynn.typepad.com/
We are all caught in a web, all right! Captivated by phantom prey. So interesting. K.
ReplyDeleteI found a gigantic black widow climbing the refrigerator gasket yesterday. I don't like to kill spiders, but I felt I had to. She looks malevolent in every way. I could see the violin without glasses. Love this metaphor for what we often feel compelled to do without quite knowing why. Well crafted!
ReplyDeleteTruly, and I think you already know this Charles, if we took more time to slow down and really look for it, nature teaches us so much about what we take for granted about living in our race to rush through it all instead of slowing down and actually living it. I love this description of the spider, it shows you've really looked at how it behaves, what its habits and maybe its expectations are too. You haven't just gone for the surface and left it there, spider/makes web.. end of story, yours had a beginning, middle and end.
ReplyDeleteLovely imagery, (even though I'm not fond of spiders, I find their webs beautiful and intricately made with such skill.
Charles. Love the observation. So rich with texture and details, definitely painted the scene perfectly for me. The contemplation/reflection aspect is just icing on the cake, a bonus, adding that little extra. Love this piece. Great job. Thanks
ReplyDeleteGreat imagery ....gave me goosebumps ( not a spider fan ) thank you so much for visiting my blog and sharing your lovely writing x
ReplyDeleteYeah it seems we do keep doing things that aren't in our best interest most times and as far as actual spiders go, that cats eat them at our show..haha
ReplyDeleteWhat a great metaphor for blind human greed and grasping...That's what we do, grasping the water droplets...that will surely dry and give us nothing. Good think piece here, Chazzy!
ReplyDeleteGreat comparison, Charles. The finish was brilliant!
ReplyDeleteGreat observation Charles! Patience can be rewarded more when time is taken to reflect. Great verse!
ReplyDeleteHank
Ah yes, how many phantoms have I embraced? Only to come up with nothing but air, and that stupid look on my face indicating I have learned nothing, as I'm driven by a primal instinct, and will surely do it again.
ReplyDeleteSmashing poem. And a testament to your character and compassion to allow the spider his space.
Superb observation and beautifully used. Great poem.
ReplyDeletePoor spider, next time you take a shower take some spider food! ;) Love how in your writing you capture such awareness of the beautiful little things that may go unnoticed x
ReplyDeleteLove the detail you observe in this! It does make one wonder what we are driven to do despite our better intentions!
ReplyDeletevery nicely described
ReplyDelete