Always Seven

 

I heard said that I am always seven
feet from an arachnid at any given moment.
--I wondered whose idea of a gift that was--
as if I don't get caught up in enough webs already.

Way more confident people also told me that I have a nose
on my face and because of that nose I should be able to see
clearly a "glass-half-empty" or a "glass-half-full"; and that
my problem, according to them, was a lack of vision.
They said that I could not seem to stop to see what they saw
while all the time wondering about all the other stuff
that might be in said imaginary glass, like ice
and the thriftiness of the bartender.
--I did point out other things--
They mentioned that I should do something about my problem.

 

They were right of course and I thanked them
for their sentiments and their cliches,
as I tried not to think about those spiders
that live only seven feet away, at any given moment.

Confession:  for far too long I have been
far too suspicious of situations that seemed
either this-way or that-way, hot or cold,
in-rain or in-shine. I have also doubted street signs
that only point in one direction, carpets
that never show traces of wear, and shadows
that always fall too far away from the sun.
Oh, and I even questioned the passing of decades
that get away without goodbyes.

 

So, today in my small way I will buy
a measuring device and I will measure out
a 7 foot circumference
where the spiders should be.
And for what it's worth, I won't stop till I find one.
And I will thank heaven for this one thing that is sure.

Okay...wish me luck.

Reviews

[Raef C. Boylan]

This is great; I like how it meanders from subject to subject. Good point made - if I've understood - about the changeability of proverbs, and how they can leave you more confused than you were to start with.
Seven feet is quite an unnerving thought...

Good poem. Welcome back.

p.s.
"I wondered who's idea of a gift that was--" [whose]
"They were right of coarse" [course, or is this a play on words?]

[darkgurl]

"Way more confident people also told me that I have a nose
on my face and because of that nose I should be able to see
clearly a "glass-half-empty" or a "glass-half-full"; and that
my problem (according to them) was a lack of vision."

Now i love this write, this well done and leaves a question to the mind, I always look at the glass as half empty, but how my mind works is another thing all together, this is a very well written write and a very good point made....Kim