Things with Me & Spiders

1. The killing rules

Outside? Never.

They’ve got business

to be about and it’s

none of mine.

I browse branches

for their webs like

a window-shopper;

I drive them to drink

the mosquitoes dry,

every     last       one.

Indoors, it all depends:

on my hair or skin

it won’t end well—

I can’t account for

instinct.

But I give them quarter

when I don’t feel

vulnerable—if

they’re small

or slow or in

seldom used

rooms.

Once, I let

a black widow

grieve in

my garage

for all her

natural

days.