I.

Dextra
She hangs, fangside up, upsidedown
in a tangle in the corner

A haphazard cradle of weaponized silk
poised
above the black and white tile that’s piled with husks
of other spiders
D e x t r a o n l y e a t s
other spiders

Bold, the Brown Widow, my house button spider
Geometric body / abstract web
Six spinnerets spinning silk
into hex into snare
And how lovely,
her venom
delicate
Poison – a fine & traditional
mad woman’s weapon, to be sure

And when I see her hourglass turn, in a snap
as she wields it
I think-
You know what?
Good for her.

II.

Mater Dextra
She plucks down her web
like she’s playing the harp

Musical movement,
towards a delicate task

The wolf spider lingers,
below, at the threshold

(Do not pester at the door
of the gravid widow)

Angel struck, he writhes
under heaven – a husk

III.

The Guard
She hoists him up
and hangs the shriveled wolf,
as a warning
on the gate

His hydraulic limbs drawn up to his chest
as if to say, mea culpa, mater Dextra

When she sleeps, she sleeps
next to him

IV.

Farewell
A harvestman
drags itself
with slow effort
away

One long leg
hurled ahead
dragging two behind
that remain

Dextra,
near the bottom of her web
waves one long leg
that she now holds
like a farewell handkerchief,
to see off a w e l l d o o m e d
s
h
i
p

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Bianca Ambrosino is a somewhat reclusive poet from Richmond, Virginia. Her unique, Autistic perspective illuminates universal themes with startling connections and vivid synesthesia. She spends her time writing, walking outdoors, raising her children, and reading countless academic papers/ scientific publications (for fun). She can be found on Facebook.