in the beginning...

first there was the spider-- she always
knew what to do. she wore the black dress
spiders wear and climbed on like baby's skin.
we all waited, we held hands, held breasts full
of breath. we watched as she spun the world,
weaved the trees on the river's edge-- she
always knew what it took for things to survive.

she died on the seventh day. we buried her
next to the vines that wind and whip around
the legs of creation.