Amidst a flurry of
Perfect green leaves
Hangs one rogue
Curling back on itself
Like a tongue
As though seeking to savour
The flavour of green.
This leaf does not worry
About what the other leaves will think,
Does not pause to consider
If it is the odd one out,
It simply reaches back
Stretches luxuriously
And rests on its own back.
Nestled inside,
At the heart of the curl,
Sits a tiny spider
In its own retreat from the world.
The spider sighs inside its curled haven,
Gets to its feet,
And works on the wall of web
That shields it from the elements.
Its work complete,
It returns to the womb of the leaf,
And shelters from wind and storm.
The curling leaf and the spider
Protect each other
In a phenomena
Of mutual collaboration.
In unspoken agreement,
They keep each other safe
From the dangers of this life,
And they find rest
In each others’ arms.