February was a *very* long month here. Gearbox got bitten by a spider on a camping trip. The spider bite developed a serious staph infection – his knee swelled to the size of an orange. Visiting the doc for the infection, Gearbox picked up the flu. Just as he was recovering from the flu, he got hives from either the spider bite, the staph, the flu, or the antibiotics. AAAAH! He was so covered in hives and his face was so swollen they put him on strong meds that knocked him out for 4 days. In all, he was so sick that he missed several weeks of school. Oy.
Spiders. They’re evil.
While spiders give me the heebie-jeebies, I am in awe of their webs. As long as they keep them outside where they belong. Otherwise, like the housewife in Emily Dickinson’s poem, I go after them with a broom.
The Spider holds a Silver Ball by Emily Dickinson
The spider holds a Silver Ball
In unperceived Hands–
And dancing softly to Himself
His Yarn of Pearl–unwinds–
He plies from Nought to Nought–
In unsubstantial Trade–
Supplants our Tapestries with His–
In half the period–
An Hour to rear supreme
His Continents of Light–
Then dangle from the Housewife’s Broom–
His Boundaries–forgot–
For more Poetry Friday, visit Julie Larios at The Drift Record.
Wow, powerful poem by Ms. Dickinson! And powerful series of events for you and your family – all from a spider bite. Scary! Thanks so much for sharing and I hope your March is much more uneventful. =)
So sorry to hear about Gearbox’s woes! I had a spider bite last year that took four months to go away — it was annoying, but nothing like poor G. Your photos go so perfectly with the poem! Nicely done.
Sorry to hear about Gearbox’s very challenging several weeks. One thing after another. We have quite a few spiders in our house and I’m always very wary of them.
Hadn’t seen that Dickinson poem before — so lovely. Perfect photos too!
Yikes. I hope March is much less eventful. Thanks for the poem. I love the silver ball in unperceived hands…
Oh Katya, Gearbox has had such a year, hasn’t he, & that means you, too. I’m so sorry. The Dickinson poems surprise me once in a while-this seems so different. The photos are awesome!
Goodness. I think Gearbox has had enough character-building for a while – hoping he has a nice, boring, injury- and bite-free spring! (And that for all of you.) Thanks for the wonderful Dickinson poem, and for that awesome photograph.
Beautiful yet eerie! Thanks for sharing this.
Hi, Katya. Those spider bites can be nasty. I’m sorry your guy was so sick! There is so much beauty in this poem — the silver ball, the continents of light. Emily, like you, seems to hold two thoughts about the spider at once: the beauty it creates and the fact that it’s annoying (or dangerous!).
Ugh, I have my own nasty spider bite story. Sorry you had to go through this! And I’m always up for some Emily Dickinson!
I’ve told Gearbox that he’s used up his quota of injuries and emergencies for several years. Fingers crossed that he remains injury-free between now and the state championships (gymnastics).
I love those photos, too. I saw the ice on the spiderwebs the night before so I kept checking the next morning for when the sun would hit the woodpile. I really wanted a picture of the ice lit up by the sun.