Click here to hear the poet read his words:
do spiders sleep
when I first saw Susie
busying herself
in a shaded protected corner
of a very small room
in my apartment
she was no bigger
legs included
than the nail
on my little finger
what do you eat
I wondered
as she was
clearly too petite
to tackle even a mosquito
but during those
days of confinement
when I saw her often
she must have found
some nourishment
because she grew
enough that I noticed
I call her Susie
not Steve
because in French
her mother tongue
I suppose
the word for spider
araignée
is feminine
and I don’t like to contradict
a centuries old
language and culture
I hope that
she will continue to grow
and will eliminate
at least some mosquitoes
during the warmer weather
now arriving
so we co-exist
quite peacefully
which is
I believe
as much as can be hoped for
between different species
in trying times
I ask her many things
although she rarely responds
and never in words
but she seems more accepting now
of my intrusions
less prone to disappearing
into her darkest corner
when I disturb
her privacy
so the question remains
unanswered
because I refuse
to use Google in this case
preferring to exercise
my imagination
and to ask her
gently but persistently
do spiders sleep?
I am not sure I have been to the poetry wing of C.E. Ayr before. I liked this story very much. Both characters believable.
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Glad you enjoyed, Ted.
While the poem is clearly an allegory, both characters are real, and still co-exist, with each respecting the other’s boundaries.
Thank you for visiting, and for your kind words.
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I love the mood of your spider poem, so gentle and protective, so admiring of the spider’s special-ness.
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Thank you for the kind words.
I am much less confident in the quality of my poetry so your comment is much appreciated.
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The Italian word for spider is the masculine ragno. Maybe you can even fix her up with an Italian friend.
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Unless she is one who eats her mate afterwards?
Everyone likes to eat Italian sometimes, hmm?
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yay
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I love that! Really imaginative, and beautifully constructed.
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Thank you, Penny, I have been known to knock out the odd verse.
Have you ever checked out Songs on Sound Bite Fiction?
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That was fab, a lovely poem.
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What a great surprise to see you followed my link.
Glad you enjoyed it, sir
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If a jobs worth doing…!!😊
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I have been known to churn out the odd ode over the years…
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This was wonderful!
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Thank you, Dale, I have my moments
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I’ve no doubt
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Loved the poem, should we start calling you Robert Burns
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Now, now, Mike, I am grateful for the kind words but there is only one Rabbie Burns!
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Pingback: Getting Philosophical – Friday Fictioneers | Sound Bite Fiction
They do seem to sleep, don’t they?
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Hi Brenda, lovely to see you here again.
They appear to be totally immobile for yonks, then move like lightning when the mood takes them.
Susie is a little sweetheart!
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Excellent. I’m glad you can appreciate her.
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