Spider

A tiny spider — black and gray
with white stripes — is sitting
on the coffee table.

I’m watching it rustling its stubby
little legs. Watching its tubby
body immobile after a moment.

I’m watching it sitting
in nearly the center
of an old brown ring.

Thinking: how long
does a tiny spider
stay alive? How long?

The internet says:
one to two years.
Amazing.

Which of us
will be gone first?
Probably the spider

although to take a bet
on that
would be foolish.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
onward,
T