spiders

my father
teaches Marcus
to say
spider

...PPP
...pider!
No,
SSSSSpider

eight limbs wrapped round
two heads
two full bellies
a kitchen table in springtime

...PPP
...pider!
No,
SSSSSpider

strands of speech
scissor dull eardrums
inflame
with wonder

...SSSS
...SSSS
...SSSSSpider!
Good Boy!

an arthropod gains the edge
of a precipice
looks down
widens with newness

...SSSSSpider!
Good Boy!

Marcus
points
declares
his inevitable conclusion

...SSSSSpiderMAN!

and my father
sixty-five
physician
hi-fi owner
nature-lover and
superhero
hugs his small grandson
weaves the weft thread tight.



Been working on this one for a while. Still trying to get it right.