Virtual Vision

Spiders carefully engineer their webs out of a range of silks to control web architecture, tension and stiffness, analogous to constructing and tuning a musical instrument.
—Tuning the instrument: Spider webs as vibration transmission structures (University of Oxford)

She views the world through touch. Faint throbs of thread
relay what prey is trapped, what class of mate
draws near, what bird has come to satiate
its greedy gut. The ring of string has spread
like ripples on a pond. Inside her head
a tiny brain unravels all the facts.
Her spokes have spoken to her. She reacts
quick as a wingbeat. Will she be well-fed?

One evening, groping through a grove, you mangle
the moonlit sanctuary of some spinner
serenely poised to pounce upon her dinner.
Face full of filaments, you watch her dangle
then disappear. You flee the fangs of night,
not knowing she’s too sensible to bite.


Comments

Regina's picture
Yes, you're so right about spiders being remarkable. They're definitely engineers in their web construction. Just like bees. It seems like spiders are featured a lot at Halloween. Another shout out for you to win. Have a good weekend Miles !

Regina

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