Poem in my Post - Tarantulas on the Lifebuoy by Thomas Lux

Poem in my Post - Tarantulas on the Lifebuoy by Thomas Lux.

Every Sunday (oops, today is Monday) in April for National Poetry Month, I am sharing a poem in my post with readers.  I have been busy grading papers as the 3rd quarter ended and have also been busy writing a poem every day of the month and so now I have 10 new poems to work with.  I have been trying to study new poets and continue to immerse myself in poetry and poetry prompts.

I chose Tarantulas on the Lifebuoy because when I was in Peru in the Amazon rainforest, two years ago, I saw several pink-toed tarantulas and I loved them. Plus, Lux is a new poet for me and this poem is awesome and it makes me happy.  I hope it makes you happy as well.


Tarantulas on the Lifebuoy by Thomas Lux

For some semitropical reason
when the rains fall
relentlessly they fall

into swimming pools, these otherwise
bright and scary
arachnids. They can swim
a little, but not for long

and they can’t climb the ladder out.
They usually drown—but
if you want their favor,
if you believe there is justice,
a reward for not loving

the death of ugly
and even dangerous (the eel, hog snake,
rats) creatures, if

you believe these things, then
you would leave a lifebuoy
or two in your swimming pool at night.

And in the morning
you would haul ashore
the huddled, hairy survivors

and escort them
back to the bush, and know,
be assured that at least these saved,
as individuals, would not turn up

again someday
in your hat, drawer,
or the tangled underworld

of your socks, and that even—
when your belief in justice
merges with your belief in dreams—
they may tell the others

in a sign language
four times as subtle
and complicated as man’s

that you are good,
that you love them,
that you would save them again.


Thomas Lux, “Tarantulas on the Lifebuoy” from New and Selected Poems: 1975-1995. Copyright © 1997 by Thomas Lux. U

Visit this link for a biography of Lux and at the very bottom are several links to 5 of his poems.
https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems-and-poets/poets/detail/thomas-lux

To ensure happiness, read a poem every day!