I didn’t intend to disturb
the spider’s web as it twinkled
in the last of the evening light.
I was mesmerized by the soft knell
of the wind chimes announcing
the end of another day, the dirge
distracting me from the poor arachnid’s
impressive work. What remains seems
inadequate, or at least insufficient,
to capture dinner, and I wonder
if the spider will eat tonight
or begin work on another web,
empty stomach cursing the giant
thoughtless storm who lacked
the sense to walk around the glinting
piece of art now disappearing underfoot.
© 2021 | Phillip Knight Scott
Prompts
- We’re talking about Creepies and Crawlies at dVerse today. I stuck with free verse.
- Fandango’s One Word Challenge: poor
Often Mumbled Musings 
What a beautiful observation. I love photographing both spider and web, especially when they’re wet and lit up by the sun.
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Thanks so much!
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Very neat image, Phillip. Like you I wonder if they get frustrated when the elements lay waste to their carefully designed webs. They probably don’t have time for frustration. One thing they do have is faith that something they can eat will get caught in time to continue living.
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Yeah I wonder if they have frustration too but they can’t wait around and mope.
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awww. a lovely empathetic piece. Great photo too!
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Thanks so much 🙂
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With hundreds of flowers all over my yard, I am constantly amazed when it comes time to post photos that each one usually contians at least one strand of spider web. Hopefully the web you destroyed was already abandoned.
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Not sure but I hope so too!
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a vivid and inventive poem, I like the way the verses run into each other…JIM
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Thanks so much 🙂
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I always feel bad when I destroy a spider’s handiwork. This is beautifully written, and I love the photograph!
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I do admire their intricate woven webs but, I had one on my deck growing larger and larger and the spider was rather creepy. Their bite can make one rather ill. I had to remove it when nothing was in it. Hopefully , it will find a new place to weave its magic.
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Spiders can definitely produce a wide range of feelings.
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I like how your conscience honoured the spider’s web by writing an almost ode to it. And how you likened yourself to a careless storm. The spider is indeed an artist. A very thoughtful write, Phillip 🙂
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Thanks so much! Hopefully I can take time to think about these tiny actions more in the future!
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❤
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I feel for the spider who lost his home, and for the wind, who never meant to do it.
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Thanks! I agree — we never stop to think of the impact seemingly small actions can have on an ecosystem.
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Phillip,
This lyrical piece pulls me in with its meditative tone of regret and wonder at an accidental devastation. Very moving.
pax,
dora
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Thanks so much, Dora! Hopefully we can all take time to understand the impact we have on the world, even when we don’t realize it.
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Love that last stanza!
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Thanks so much lillian 🙂
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The spider always has more work to do… wind, rain and mammals tend to destroy its work.
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And they keep on working
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Nicely written my friend. They do look so beautiful in the sun. The garden spider in NC are very large and has bright yellow. For some reason it seems like I notice them only after a rain. ❤️🤗🦋
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Thanks so much Joni 🙂
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My pleasure. 🦋🤗❤️
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This poem paints such a beautiful, sensitive, yet haunting picture. Well done!!
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