Black Widow

She waits,
eight black spindles joined at one end by a pivot, a compass.
Each pinpoint balanced at the intersections
of self-drawn polygons.
Legs jointed like the fingers of a skeleton,
deft, dexterous as a harpist.
Body in two sections with ample abdomen,
the African who carries the water jug on her head.
Or an Indian, the untouchable with her caste mark,
the microscopic grains dropping through the hourglass
like drops of blood.

Blind, she has the surrogate sense of a seismograph.
She would feel a disturbance in the web
were it only a thought.
Never mind she lives in a dark corner
as devoid of light as she is of personality,
she needs neither.
She does not look as the wrapped body of her cannibalized mate
as at a gilt-framed photograph of the dearly departed.
The egg sac is not a silk-lined bassinet,
the hanging ornament
to all her future hopes and dreams.

She is absent of frontal lobes,
moralizing modifiers,
second thoughts.
An instrument of logic,
mate=food
sac=young,
syllogisms minus all prepositions,
additional excess cargo to be jettisoned 
as the dried shells of devoured prey.
No welcome mats on the front step,
no settees in the parlor,
no cunning seductress with scarlet claws.
Only a modem waiting in the spaceless black.

Copyright © | Year Posted 2017



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Date: 10/26/2019 2:34:00 PM
Descriptive write, life at its basest level.
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Date: 6/28/2019 8:04:00 PM
It was a delight to return once more and enjoy being captivated by the beautiful weave of your poem, Dale. Congratulations on your excellent win. Warmest wishes always.. ~Susan
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Dale Gregory Cozart
Date: 6/28/2019 8:41:00 PM
Thanks very much, Susan.
Date: 4/10/2019 3:16:00 PM
Hello Dale, I have just read your poem Black Spider, she eats her mate! She is not a good mother! Oh ... how horrible! Have a nice day my friend.
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Date: 11/21/2017 4:48:00 PM
Wow Dale! Such an awesome first write here. I was completely enthralled from your first two words; 'She waits.' You had me captured in the imagination of your write. Love it! A belated but well deserved congrats on your fine placement in the contest!!
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Dale Gregory Cozart
Date: 11/21/2017 4:51:00 PM
Thanks so much, Susan!
Date: 9/6/2017 11:42:00 AM
So many wonderful images, Dale! Congratulations on your win in my contest!
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Dale Gregory Cozart
Date: 9/6/2017 11:46:00 AM
Thanks so much, Kim! What a surprise, and so quick!
Date: 5/10/2017 8:40:00 AM
This kept flipping back and forth in my mind. You have skills. Welcome to the soup.
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Date: 4/30/2017 12:38:00 AM
Awesome! Very descriptive and somewhat haunting. Welcome to poetrysoup!
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Dale Gregory Cozart
Date: 4/30/2017 7:06:00 PM
thanks! i'm glad i'm here.
Date: 4/29/2017 6:36:00 PM
Oooh! You gave me a chill - a double meaning chill - metaphor or reality. I grew up where we always had to be on the lookout for those deadly things. Very gripping writing.
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Dale Gregory Cozart
Date: 4/29/2017 6:42:00 PM
thank you. i really appreciate it.
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