the spider

sat on the front stoop tonight
an itsy bitsy spider crawled across the edge of an icy snow bank
at the top of the stairs-
so small delicate this black tiny creature-
it was making its way towards me-
it was running out of snow to cushion its crawl
walking on thin ice,
did the spider just come from a place
so much bigger than itself?
so huge in diameter it had to get away?
enveloped on the cold shoulder of expectation,
bewildered by extreme forces-
fleeing for its freedom
and crying for that reason
i tapped my finger on the cedar plank
just before the spider melded into my shadow
danger danger was the meaning of my vibration
do not take another step do not tarry
the little black dot stopped dead on the lumber not knowing which way to turn-
i realized my tremendous power lording over this helpless little being
i did not like nor want this power
i moved myself out of the shadow
away from the spider in it’s silent stunning fear-
i walked away leaving the spider to fend for itself
it must have been a baby spider-so small-instinctual-
yet what are we but essences of a larger portrait
hanging onto the bigger picture in our busy stunning lives
moving our arms and legs as fast as we can
in hopes
to avoid
the end of time.