Saint Spider Poem by Linda Hepner

Saint Spider spun a wondrous web
Between the branches of two trees
She swung she ran she tugged each thread
Her elbows needles, pins her knees.

When done it shone in silver lines
Transforming moonlit air to scene
Diverting gaze of groundling eyes
Admiring lace of starry queen.

Her sister spiders black within
The shadows, shapes, of sleeping leaves
Slung messages of finest thought:
Stop now! No spider ever weaves

Success in silver all the night
Unless she counts her catch as all
That counts – we haste to eat
And fatten on some tasty ball!

Mosquitoes, gnats, a foolish fly
Flew headlong into net and line –
They lack the sense of human eye
That seeks out any silver mine.

Man saw the lacy galaxy
And spider with her knobbled knees
A blot on his reality
A danger dangling in the trees…

Without a thought he swung his stick
And tore the galaxy apart –
And safer now his step was quick
Away from ugly nature’s heart.