On a recent episode of The Slowdown, Ada Limón asked “What is the job of a poet?” Part of the poet’s work, she mused, is to “look around for something shiny, and when we see it, we grab it.” I love this. It reminded me of Natalie Babbitt‘s assertion in The Search for Delicious that the world is full of “commonplace marvels” spread “carelessly before us every day.” This was a reminder that I desperately needed.
Something shiny, a commonplace marvel, offered itself up to me not long after. A tiny green spider, no bigger than the eraser on a pencil wandered across the arm of my lawn chair. She was moving pretty quickly, so I didn’t get a chance to study her or take a picture. But I was astounded to see that she was completely green–legs and all! I knew at once that she needed her own poem and that it should be an octet.
Summer’s Bounty
one
neon
green spider
scrambles amidst
spikes of sun-fed grass
seeking a hiding spot
where she can hunt for her lunch:
an insect smorgasbord awaits!
Draft © Catherine Flynn, 2022
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Reading to the Core 
This feels so well observed, Catherine. Each word feels so…particular. And I love the alliteration!
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I remember your ‘call’ for commonplace marvels, Catherine. This new idea of ‘shiny’ is wonderful, too. Now your tiny green spider has me asking what good it brings by eating meals of tiny insects that havoc to some of our plants. Thanks for the highlight!
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What a lovely idea – something shiny to grab. Through your words, I can just envision that neon-green spider scrambling – what a gorgeous little gem to pack into my mind’s eye. Thank you.
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Love your poem Catherine, it’s perfect! A shiny sparkle of a spider, what a gem moving through that sun drenched grass field, and lovely flow too, thanks!
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You have a special gift for grabbing the ordinary and making it shiny. What a special spider!
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[…] grade again and am really looking forward to the coming school year. Catherine Flynn wrote in her post this week about finding and holding onto the “shiny” things, and I’ve noticed and […]
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I love how you found the shiny and grabbed onto it! The mesh of form and content is perfect here.
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How delightful that you caught this glimpse just in time! I am immediately thinking the eensy-weensy spider might have just been green!
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I adore nature poetry and I agree this spider needed her own poem. How lovely!
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Oh, I love those little neon green spiders…they are so cool. And, an octet–but, of course!
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LOVE the connection to Natalie Babbitt and the perfection of form matching content!
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Catherine, I have never seen a green spider so I can imagine how fascinating the sight is. Your poem is delightful and I like the format you chose. The last line is a great final one that brings power to the alliteration you used throughout.
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Love the imagery!
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