Webbings of a Black Widow Tattoo

Webbings of a Black Widow Tattoo

BY KEN LEMARCHAND | Generated from Prompt #27 of Lois-Rose Sterling Poetry

Paint my body with nightshade
   from the backside of the moon.
I want to feel the unseen
   hidden inside each crater,
watch them prowl like thin shadows
   who prey on the living dead.
Become an ashen mural
   for their devouring light.

I’ll wear their thorns on my sleeve
   pierced blood of the darkest night.
Take the adder’s onyx teeth
   as if its pain were my own;
the bite like climbing ivy
   takes shelter upon my neck.
Swashes of vantablack ink
   match my even darker heart.

I’ll save my virgin body
   for the panther’s maw and tongue,
till my soul seeps out their cries
   in a murdered rush of crows.
I’ll be witness to their strife
   that the moon can rest on high,
spit me out like boiled tar,
   a gravesend for the wicked.   

Certainly, here are some author notes for your poem "Webbings of a Black Widow Tattoo":

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Author Notes:

"Webbings of a Black Widow Tattoo" was inspired by the thought-provoking prompt by Lois-Rose Sterling, "I'll stop wearing black when there is a darker color." In this poem, I sought to explore the idea of embracing the enigmatic and mysterious aspects of life, symbolized by the color black. Each stanza represents a different facet of darkness, from the hidden depths of the moon's craters to the ominous presence of predatory shadows.

The poem delves into the concept of willingly adopting darkness, much like a saint or savior would take on the burdens of the world. It's a contemplation of transformation, as the speaker desires to be painted with "nightshade from the backside of the moon" and wear the thorns of the night as a badge of honor. The imagery of black widow tattoos and ashen murals serves as a metaphor for embracing the unknown and accepting the pain and darkness that life can offer.

Ultimately, "Webbings of a Black Widow Tattoo" is an exploration of the beauty and allure that can be found within the darkest aspects of existence, inviting readers to contemplate the idea that perhaps the "darker color" represents a profound and transformative depth worth exploring.