Throughout late September the early autumn spiders have been filling the corners of my small house. Mainly the small-body, long-legged, ones that happily eat one another.
This is the first time I've witnessed one catching a smaller spider, perhaps even its own offspring. Quick as a flash it set to cocooning its prey. The oddly mechanical web-spinning process continued for a good minute up in a corner of the bathroom ceiling, and I found the whole thing, especially the inhuman pitilessness of the hunt and capture, a little unsettling, though I must say it was difficult to tear my gaze away.
But this is a quick verse inspired by the skilful web-building of a beautiful large garden spider amongst the rosemary in my garden, which I quietly watched from the corner of my eye while sitting on the garden bench next to the bush, reading my 2000AD comic. I like the way it kind of morphs into a haiku at the end.
Perfectly flailing front feelers
Tying off links, loops and lassoos
Circles, building her fine web
My bench, her rosemary bush
Spider and ape together
Bathed in cool September sunshine
