Friday, November 15, 2013

Red







Red


From a crevice
in the molding
a tiny spider
smiled
like the sun

sometimes
she slept
or kept to herself
and we understood
we were alone

Then we would soap
each other’s hair
til it stood in peaks
and clap
the rippled flanks
til the dark
echoed
through them

when we were
comfortable
with each other
she padded
onto the soap dish
a tinkling arpeggio
of legs
we held our breath
so as not
to
disturb
a
thing

One day
red was gone
the months
trailed
each other
only the web remained
collapsing
into itself
like
a storm




I am reposting Red, not because I think it is my best, but because it makes me happy to revisit it.
This was a poem that was easy to birth.  It was written during a chaotic time when unspeakable things were unfolding in my family of origin.  It was easy to write because it was true. I hope you enjoy it.



I like this one too:

 
Tall Grass, a painting by Nadine McHenry, Artist
Blue rain

maybe it will rain
and the crickets
anarchists as they are
will wind time backwards
on a broken spring.

10 comments:

Kerry O'Connor said...

I love both poems. The second is so vivid in its word choice, and the first is just exceptional in terms of observation, and the human factor of ascribing our own emotional sense on to the creatures that inhabit our space. Spiders are fascinating - empty webs make me sad.

Hannah said...

The kind that flow unhindered are such a gift and I feel privileged that you shared this with us. I enjoy the perspective very much and thank you for the note too which brings more to the layers in this heart rendered poem.

Your second is brilliant in its brevity and I enjoy the likening you employed there.

Excellent writing!

Kathryn Dyche said...

So visual, loved the co-existence.

Helen said...

Both poems are stunning ....

Fireblossom said...

I *LOVE* the crickets!

Sherry Blue Sky said...

I adore that the tiny spider "smiled like the sun"........the "arpeggio of legs" is brilliant. Also love the idea of anarchist crickets.

Peggy said...

I like the mix of things in this. Strong visual images and a unique scene.

Herotomost said...

It makes me happy you reposted Red as well. Both are exceptional writing and I have to sound the horn about the crickets again. Very good writing.

Anonymous said...

intense red...love it!

Anonymous said...

"Red" is stunning!!!