happy valentine's day
natural historythe spider, dropping down from twig,
unwinds a thread of his devising:
a thin, premeditated rig
to use in rising.
and all the journey down through space,
in cool descent, and loyal-hearted,
he builds a ladder to the place
from which he started.
thus I, gone forth as spiders do,
in spider's web a true discerning,
attach one silken strand to you
for my returning.
-- e.b. white
