 | Heliconundrums |  |
61
TO A SPIDER
Spider! Spider! hid from sight
Till some hapless fly alight,
What fore-thoughtful brain and eye
Fashion'd thy web's nice symmetry?
Till some hapless fly alight,
What fore-thoughtful brain and eye
Fashion'd thy web's nice symmetry?
In what distant deeps or skies
Grew those rare geometries?
In what far-off home of fire
Forgèd was that slender wire?
Grew those rare geometries?
In what far-off home of fire
Forgèd was that slender wire?
And what cunning, what wise art,
Stow'd all in so small a part,
Prompt to weave and to repeat,
And gave thee such nimble feet?
Stow'd all in so small a part,
Prompt to weave and to repeat,
And gave thee such nimble feet?
Not the stars, through myriad years
Traveling in appointed spheres,
Tell more surely of design
Than that frail web's curious line.
Traveling in appointed spheres,
Tell more surely of design
Than that frail web's curious line.
What the hand and what the brain
Made thee, and made not in vain?
Did he smile thy craft to see?
Did he who made the Fly make thee?
Made thee, and made not in vain?
Did he smile thy craft to see?
Did he who made the Fly make thee?
62
Spider! Spider! hanging light
On thy web but seen dew-bright,
What fore-thoughtful brain and eye
Framed that fearful symmetry?
On thy web but seen dew-bright,
What fore-thoughtful brain and eye
Framed that fearful symmetry?
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