Mantra spent some time in the woods, if the poems are indicative. Today’s poem is a twist on the pastoral.
Trap captures the circle of life from a perspective you may never have considered.
I have up-close and personal relationships which allow me the opportunity to watch these things happen. Some days, I sympathize with different parts of the circle. Other days, I am egging on only one… the one setting the trap.
This departure from my normal stance of standing up for victims is the natural order of things. In fact, there are some I would like to usher into the trap. Methinks you will agree.
Trap
She stretches one leg out
And steps on a dew drop.
The dawn is coming soon.
She needs to go and scout.
Autumn is tired of holding
Back winter’s ice and snow.
She hardly has the time.
Her destiny’s unfolding.
So little food and so many
Little mouths to feed.
She needs to hurry,
Or there shan’t be any.
Carefully laid bait
Should lure her quarry.
In the dewy stillness
She must lie in wait.
The aroma captures
A would-be thief’s interest.
Before he knows he’s tangled,
Her venom numbs the torture
Of being mummified
Before death, to become
A feast for spiderlings,
Hatching after she’s died.
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I have a plethora of spider species I watch in my yard and around my home. Only three are not allowed to live: brown recluse, black widow and wolf spiders. All the rest are left to their natural pest control lives. I happen to loathe mosquitoes.
Which part of the circle of life do you champion? Do you like spiders? Which pest is the one you most want out of your garden?
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Binky
/ June 17, 2013The only things I hate are flies and mosquitoes, in the house that is. I don’t like centipedes much either–they seem to end up in the kitchen sink for some reason.
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Red
/ June 20, 2013Flies are another pet peeve. Fortunately, I am really good with a swatter.
Enchanted Seashells, Confessions of a Tugboat Captains Wife
/ June 17, 2013Er, once I told my mother-in-law that she reminded me of a black widow spider-the kind that eats their own young. Umm, last time I spoke with her. That would be the year 2000. Ahem. I’m a very protective mommy and wife. A bit of a different spider perspective, huh?
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Red
/ June 20, 2013Seems reasonable to me. The only words I speak to black widows are post mortem. xxx
Vashti Quiroz-Vega
/ June 17, 2013I absolutely LOVE your poem. You’ve captured nature’s wicked dark essence so well. I’m scared of spiders, but I hate mosquitos also. I like lizards. They get rid of the pesky critters I loathe, like cockroaches and mosquitos.
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Red
/ June 20, 2013I love lizards! I do not have many where I live because there is not really enough moisture with any consistency. I would trade the spiders for lizards in a heartbeat. Glad to see you today, Vashti. xxx
Gail Thornton
/ June 17, 2013In my part of the country, we don’t have the three species you mention which don’t get to live. I am afraid of spiders in my home, but not outside. The poem is beautifully dark, I’m cheering on the spider.
xxx
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Red
/ June 20, 2013As much as I would prefer none of them, I do not think I would trade my climate. xxx
Gingerfightback
/ June 18, 2013Loved it Red, kinda creepy but loving to
Red
/ June 20, 2013Thank you! Creepy things still have babies, and most everyone likes babies. 😉 Great to see you today.
N'n
/ June 18, 2013That garden spider is awesome – REALLY amazing in being so fine, so minimal.
And then to be spotted!!
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Red
/ June 20, 2013They really are amazing. That one stayed right there as I stained the deck. I took that picture in the headlights of my truck. I just had that one banister left. I told her she needed to get finished because I needed to finish. She had three bugs she was working on and only came to the center of her web when I walked past. The next morning, she had taken it down. xxx
Valentine Logar
/ June 18, 2013Love this one, so intricate in it nature.
But my sister, I love wolf spiders they are awesome and they eat cockroaches. Such a service!!
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Red
/ June 20, 2013I wish I could tolerate them. Alas, atop being poisonous, their bite is also an allergen for me. 🙁 I tend to leave the smaller ones to catch flies, but beyond a certain size they must go out. xxx
laurie
/ June 18, 2013I let some of the spiders live, preferably the ones that stay out of my house. I don’t go under it so the brown recluse are hidden from my view. I got bit by a spider checking the mail once, so now I actually look instead of just reaching my hand in. The spiders concern me less than the snakes, we have a few poisonous varieties, and the ones that you can easily confuse.
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Red
/ June 20, 2013There are so few snakes here I am surprised the rats do not run off with the place. xxx
Tess Kann
/ June 18, 2013All creepy crawlies–spiders, insects, mosquitos and all the rest–give me the ick.
I was curious but didn’t know who was the hunter until I read ‘mummified.’ You sure know how to paint a vivid picture with words, Red.
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Red
/ June 20, 2013Glad you liked this one. This is the kind of poetry I like best to write. A tale. xxx
Gray Dawster
/ June 25, 2013Spiders are such fascinating insects, they are well deserving creatures that wait out of sight of their prey and waiting for the webs vibration.
Then the spider springs into action webbing each morsal and leaving it in the larder, eating its catch afterwards or saving it for the spiderlings 🙂
I like that word Spiderlings 🙂
Have a wicked Tuesday with lashings
of whatever you like the most of 🙂 😉
Andro xxxx
Red
/ June 25, 2013Spiders are magnificent. If you have never seen them swarm after the spiderlings hatch, you are missing something breathtaking. The weavers I have are prolific. There is always one in the choicest spot for catching bugs who will allow other females to lay their eggs sacks near her web. When they are tired, she kills them and stores them as food for the babies. When the sacks all hatch the eggs, there are more than a thousand of them. It takes them a few hours to all spin out and float away. Very cool to watch. 🙂