To Kill a Morning Spider

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To Kill a Morning Spider Like a thick black pencil-mark whipped suddenly across the pinewood floor, his blot at the bed corner leaped to my tightening shoe, swelled into an eight-legged coil, oozing fur, it seemed, angering to be recognized as spider. He quivered once, in a paroxysm seized his stomach, gripped something there. A tiny thing hopped from him, whirling-- just as my foot, clutching at itself, smashed his eight legs. The wheeling little thing, in pausing, killed itself: my shoe, an engine on its own, crushed what was there. Such is surprise, is destiny: a spider in disguise, an insect fleeing, and we watchers from our sleep awaking to close their being. 1986 1987

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Poem written by Emanuel in 1986/1987, typed, describes killing a spider. The poem alludes to "Allowables" by Nikki Giovanni.

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  • type
    Image
  • created on
  • file format
    jpg
  • file size
    538 kB
  • container title
    James A. Emanuel Papers
  • creator
    James A. Emanuel
  • issue
    BOX 4 FOLDER 26, "The Chopping Block (Selected Poems)," draft 1988 (1 of 2)
  • rights
    James A. Emanuel Estate
  • rights holder
    James A. Emanuel Estate
  • version
    1986/1987