Arachnophobia
A gasp and then a
scream
She effects a
tip-toed retreat
Flees from an
unwelcome invader
Of alleged enormous
size
Occupying prime
position
Within the wash-stand
bowl
She closes the
door gently
An entire room now
out of bounds
Until the stranded
menace is dealt with
It sits quite
still, waiting in the whiteness
Patient, brooding,
trapped
Previously the
hunter
Now perhaps the hunted
Legs akimbo,
mandibles unmoving
Black body
segments glistening
Spinnerets
suspended
Its sticky silken
ropes useless
In this unyielding
ceramic prison
Unable to build a
ladder
To climb out and
live another day
Kill it! Kill it! she cries from behind
the door
Overcome by the irrational
fear
Of a species she
does not understand
Do not let it get away and hide somewhere
To emerge beside me when I am not looking!
I pity this useful
household predator
This insect-eating
carnivore
I catch it quickly
in a glass
Causing an instant
reaction
The sudden
vibration detected
Its eight legs scrambling
at full speed
Before I let it
disappear, unharmed
Beneath the
skirting
I make noises with
the window-catch
And tell her that
I threw it out
Announcing the threat
to be defused
The area swept,
secured and checked
No further need
for nightmares
Another arachnid
Armageddon avoided
Copyright Andy Fawthrop 20
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