Desire emerges from the spider’s abdomen. Bright
rust-colored wings advertise desire’s ability
to deliver a powerful sting, described by experts
as blinding, fierce, and shockingly electric, it is
second only to the bullet ant. Desire is most active
in the daytime summer months. Desire flies low
along the ground. Desire’s long legs have hooked
claws for grappling with its victims. Desire feeds
on the flowers of milkweeds, soapberry and mesquite
trees. Very few animals can eat desire. One of the few
that can is the roadrunner. Many experts recommend
desire simply be left alone, but kids go for charismatic
emotions, and the beautiful, powerful and deadly
desire fits the bill nicely. When desire is encountered
do not make sudden rapid movements, but softly quietly
leave the area until it is gone. Head to the low country.
—
NaPoWriMo #12: Replacement | We Write Poems #208: Mythology
An interesting experiment from NaPoWriMo Day 12. The idea was to research something tangible, find some sentences and replace the tangible noun with something intangible. I researched tarantula hawks and replaced them with desire. I rewrote some of the sentences for transitions, brevity, and clarity. My sources were: Wikipedia, Mother Nature Network, About.com Pest Control, Insect Identification.org, and Durango Nature Studies.
In addition to the replacement prompt, I wanted something that felt somewhat mythic or that suggested mythic origins for the We Write Poem prompt on mythology.
James Brush is a teacher and writer who lives in Austin, TX. He tries to get outside as much as possible.
I had fun following your paths of desire. Interesting replacement.
Thanks, Irene. I like your phrase “paths of desire”. That might make a better title.
Desire, indeed, is a carefully thing to approach. Fire can be overrated, I like your spider, and I like how your myth recreates it.
-Nicole
Thanks, Nicole. I was using natural facts (tarantula hawks lay their eggs in spiders) but that one came out sounding so mythic, it made the whole poem sound almost ancient.
[…] the extremophile Tardigrade aka Water Bear. I did another replacement poem similar to last week’s Desire/Tarantula Hawk poem. This is kind of a fun exercise, and I wonder if I might keep doing this. Maybe come up with a […]