I killed a baby spider, today,
Willfully, after the fact.

Was arranging the dirty dishes, wiping
The counter, and snagged the spider
In the paper towel I was using.
Crippled it, and made a flash judgment
To put it out of its misery.

Swiped again, and it was still alive!
More crippled than ever, sadly listing...
I squished, this time, to make sure it was,
What? Dead? Released? Happy? At peace?
Well, I sure wasn’t. It could have lived, after
The first go-by, but I, in a mood, ended its life.
Forever. On purpose. Just one little lapse, adding
To others, like almost hating having to water my
Yard in deserts heat, or changing another bare-assed
Toilet paper roll, for the nth time, or, or, or, maybe
I should be happy with just being alive, which,
The spider isn’t. Such a parody, life.

Erin Elizabeth Kelly-Moen
© Copyright 8/15/12