Eight Legged Freak

Austin Phelps

You creeping, crawling spider. Eight legged freak.
I see you as you sneak into the corner of the walls in my bedroom.
Bathroom. Kitchen. Everywhere I inhabit. Apparently, you’re more
scared of me than I am you, but why is it when I see you,
you do not scream?
But I do.

You have too many eyes. I can see fine with just two.
They say you’re useful, that you catch and kill bugs—
But who in the fuck catches and kills you?

I’m not saying I hate you, spider. I am afraid of you.
So much that it even scares me to grab a shoe to smash you.