Tarantula
The patience of stone, whose surface belies calm.
Neither warm nor cold, but unfeeling.
It digresses and turns inward, a vessel reversed
in course, in body, in function, the
outward notion separate but inclusive,
darkness expanding, the moist
earth crumbling yet holding its form:
acceptance of fate become
another’s mouth,
the means to closure and affirmation
driven not by lust nor fear
but through involuntary will.
Neither warm nor cold, but unfeeling.
The patience of stone.
“Tarantula” first appeared here in February 2015.
O at the Edges 
Fascinating!
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Thank you. Nature fascinates me!
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“The patience of stone.” Gorgeous poem.
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Thanks, Rose. I, alas, lack that sort of patience. 🙂
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Who needs patience, Robert, when you hold a golden pen?
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Ha! My pen has been dropped one too many times, and leaks at unexpected moments.
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There’s magic in those unexpected moments. 💫😊
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Magic, and messes. Magical messes?
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Yes!
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I’ve always been fond of tarantulas. From a distance.
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Me too! I’ve never wanted one for a pet, and have no desire to cuddle with one, but they are infinitely interesting.
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We used to visit Palo Duro Canyon near Amarillo at least once a year when we still lived in Texas. A visit wasn’t complete without at least one close encounter with a tarantula.
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I see them rarely, but it’s always a treat.
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Of course I might change my mind if one appeared on my pillow. 😮
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I love this one. I like tarantulas and it seems this poem you connected at a very primal level, We don’t have much shared mind with them but I feel like I shared when reading your poem.
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Thanks, Angela. That’s all I could ask for. 😃
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I used to have a pet tarantula. Patience of stone indeed! I LOVED my tarantula and LOVE snakes. They are such perfect pets!
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The cutest little spider sauntered across my desk today. I tried to photograph it, but alas wasn’t successful – it ran off under the printer. Several spiders share my writing shack. They’re excellent company, and we get along very well. 🕸
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Spiders are our friends…even the dangerous ones if we respect them.
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As are snakes and wasps and…
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Indeed!
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“the patience of stone” – i love that. such a great capture of the essence of these beautiful creatures. i have no fear of spiders or arachnids. tarantulas are most beautiful and misunderstood. often vilified. this is a wonderful piece of writing. extraordinarily so!
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Thank you, Kat. They are marvelous creatures!
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Wonderful as always, but oh, how I cringed at the final picture. Spiders terrify me to an unholy degree. They’re up there with frogs on my most hated list.
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Thank you. They can be a bit creepy looking, but are interesting to observe.
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Involuntary will is a wonderful oxymoron. I am of the “can’t abide spiders” camp, but I like this poem 🙂
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The story of my life… 🙂
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