Daddy Long Legs

When I was a kid
My summers were spent
In the Catskills where
My parents went.

It was country bliss
And a life of ease
But with lots of spiders,
Wasps and bees.

There was one mean boy
And he got his kicks
Playing pranks he pulled
From his bag of tricks.

But the cruelest one,
Which caused gasps and screams,
Really shook me up
And invaded dreams.

He would catch a spider,
The Daddy-kind,
Yanking off its legs,
Leaving one behind.

The discarded legs
He would toss at me;
As the spider flailed,
He would howl with glee.

Though that boy’s long gone
And his fate unknown,
When a spider’s near,
It gets left alone.
Copyright © | Year Posted 2014

Poem

Post Comments

Poetrysoup is an environment of encouragement and growth so only provide specific positive comments that indicate what you appreciate about the poem. Negative comments will result your account being banned.

Please Login to post a comment

Callus Avatar
September 4, 2014 at 9:08 AM
Daddy longlegs are harmless creatures that are fascinating to watch. Many people hate them, but that does not mean that they have a right to torture them. Hope this boy grew out of his bad habits as he grew older. // paul
Lamoureux Avatar
September 2, 2014 at 7:21 PM
This one was disturbing, sometimes violent criminals start out by being cruel to animals. It is good he is long gone.
Johnson Avatar
September 1, 2014 at 1:05 PM
They say it was Charlotte's Dad. At the hand of that boy so bad. When one thinks possibly of their world. How atrocious, when each leg got hurled. Peace. :)
Get a Premium Membership
Turn off ads, get more exposure for your poetry, and get more features with a Premium Membership.
Book: Diverse Voices: The Poetry of Human Rights and the Pursuit of Peace