On Spiders

Rubber smudge on the wall

Of my basement bedroom

Where a shoe bounced off

The body of a spider

Who dared to intrude

The squidge of tissue

As daddy-knight-in-armor says,

“Goodnight sweet prince”

And slays the spider dragon

The whir of a Dustbuster

As grandma slurps up

One of a thousand little spiders

Skulking around her house

And then the thunk thunk thunk

When grandma releases the spiders

Trapped in the machine

Back outside

Into her paradise

The pinch of fear as

A terrifyingly beautiful assassin

Plays dead

Sharp black with tell-tale red

Frosted

Frozen from the October cold

But as my hand draws near

To remove the danger

What appeared frozen was

Instead

Lying in wait

The squee of joy when I find

Intricate tatting strung between

Two tomato plants and

A giant, beautiful striped queen

Waiting for the announcement of dinner

Through infinitesimal vibrations

Along her beautiful creation

Fear and respect and gratitude and heeby-jeebies

All contained in a little

Eight-legged complication