I’m honestly not obsessed with spiders, but here’s another Halloween one that includes them… this one gets a little creepy. You’ve been warned! This one was written for a competition at https://susannahill.com/2016/10/27/the-6th-annual-halloweensie-writing-contest-aahhhrrrooooooooo/ using the prompts “spider”, “ghost”, and “moon”, in 100 words or fewer, for an audience of 7-12 year olds. This is aimed at the upper end of that age range, and is exactly 100 words. It’s also written in haiku…
on each Halloween
from moonlit graves they arise;
spiders creep like ghosts
silent, and stealthy
they spread to every corner;
each house in the land
hiding in shadows
laying their foul, secret plans;
fiendishly plotting
no force can resist,
no earthly power defend
against their attack
silver webs are laid
glistening in the moonlight
catching more than flies
marking territory
advertising their presence
raising flags of fright
scuttling noises
scampering and skittering
echo through each room
unexplained breezes
tickling back of your neck;
a kiss from the grave
terror breeds terror…
and that’s the only secret
of the FEAR spiders!
I’ve decided to rest my favourite “non-scary” spider pic for this one… here’s another friendly (well, not fear-inducing), if rather large, one I found recently at a visit to Rufford Park, Notts. 🙂
Very good! Tempted to record it in my creepy evil voice 😉
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Please do! The creepier and eviller the better!
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I shall see what I can do…
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😀
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…”a kiss from the grave…” awesome line. Oh, and I do appreciate the less than realistic pics… This is a creepy crawly bit of Halloween fun. I shall think of it every time the hair on the back or my neck ruffles… ❤
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But is it fun, or a portent… 🙂
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Been missing you, Al. This is a great one for today. Grey and misty here: very spooky, but it’s early yet.
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Thanks Roger. Was a perfect grey and misty start here too… witching afoot…
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Sun though now … our neighborhood is pretty quiet, out here in the woods, except for the coyotes when the moon is full!!!!
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And there’s nothing creepy ever happens in the woods… by the light of the moon… sleep well! 🙂
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Coyotes are one thing, the black bears that visit our bird feeders are something else. The Moose are more scared than we are, except in mating season … stay well clear of a mating moose and don’t get between mother and her bear cubs … the dear sweet little things. Oh yes, keep your dog well away from the skunks! We have two dogs “skunked” … not much fun in the house after!
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Stay well clear of a mating moose… always wise words! The wildlife is a little more wild than where you started out, that’s for sure 🙂
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*scrolls quickly past photo* Are you tryna give me nightmares? Great Haloweensie Haiku,
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Do inflatables glued to walls give you nightmares then? I’ll have to make a note of that too… so many notes around here… 😀
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Anything to do with the eight legged demons gives me nightmares. At one point, my phobia was so bad, I couldn’t even use the S word and called them eiders instead. It all started when a poisoned fanged, daemon swelling, shape shifting, multi-legged arachnid brutally attacked me on night. Or at least that’s how it seemed when I was 11 years old.
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I don’t doubt it. I used to have a real terror of moths – I guess that erratic movement thing of certain creatures can be a real panic raiser. It took one night of having to face my fears in a moth -filled backpacker hostel in Australia to get over my terror. I simply told myself to make peace with it, or sit crying through the whole night….
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I would have been that person unashamedly crying through the night.
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Maybe… Or maybe you’d surprise yourself… I did 🙂
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This is awesome, Al! I hope you win the contest!
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Thanks Meg… I doubt it, but you’ve gotta be in it to win it!
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Truly magnificent Al! Two spiders for the price of one, and the large one is obviously a biker!
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I’m all about the value, here 🙂
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Tickling the neck?! No thank you.
Happy Halloween. 🙂
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Happy Halloween! 🙂
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This was a creepy fun read! Happy Halloweensie!
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Thanks Jen 🙂 Have a great Halloween!
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H aha, it’s the time of year when spiders try to get inside from the cold. Ugh. But your poem is a delight! And that blow up spider isn’t creepy at all. You’re so kind to the spiderphobes. lol
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I’m getting soft in my old age!
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ha ha, don’t you dare say you’re old- I think we’re the same age!!
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Well, I’m the right side of 40… for now!
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Me too. For now!
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Let’s enjoy it while it lasts!
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Absolutely!
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Great story. Good luck and Happy Halloween!
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Thanks Gregory – happy Halloween!
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What a hideous, Halloween mega haiku Al. It gave me the creeps as I am not fond of spiders!!!
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These aren’t real, if that’s any consolation… Just a construct of our own pesky fear… Shame it’s so difficult to overcome that!
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I am a huge wimp with any type of bug or insect and scream my head off if they get too close!
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Halloween surprise
#CreepyHaiku’s fresh debut
A new love is born
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Comment of the day
For this spookiest writer
And his huge smile
😀
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What a wonderfully-crafted entry to Susanna’s contest. Happy Halloween!
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Thank you! Happy Halloween to you too 😀
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Groovy. 😎
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Uh huh B-)
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Pingback: Al Lane’s “Fear Spiders” – babbitman
I love haikus, and this is a great collection of them!
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Thanks Linda. I’m a sucker for a haiku or two too 😀
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Lyrical and super spooky. Love it!
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Thanks Gabi! 🙂
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You create quite the spooky mood here – well done!
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Thank you, Sandy. That’s a lovely compliment 🙂
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Great job, Alistair! Beautiful language, delightfully spooky… and creepy and crawly! 🙂 Thanks so much for joining in the Halloweensie fun again!
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Thanks for hosting, Susanna! I really enjoyed this prompt 🙂
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Fun and scary Halloween tale!
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Thanks Michelle! 😀
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Oh my goodness…this is FABULOUS! The imagery popped and lyrical language was poetry…and you did it in Haiku…amazing! Thank you…I really enjoyed this one, Al.
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Thank you, Vivian – that’s very generous of you! 😀
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Nice Haiku, great imagery!
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Thanks Keila 😀
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Very good! I love the 2nd to last stanza––so creepy!
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❤
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