FEEDBACK FROM READERS OF ARACHNE

It is the point of view of a mortal, not that of a goddess. She takes on a different persona than in the myth where she seems guilty of hubris, (manifesting a huge ego). In your poem, she takes on the stature of a courageous rebel. She’s a weaver, not just of threads, but of words, a storyteller. Bravo! It’s a very accomplished poem.

What vivid pictures! The contest is quite a tale!

I want to say that I adore spiders. Fortunately, I grew up with the guidance that spiders brought good luck - imagine that. I see them as miraculous creatures. Their webs are beyond beauty in every way, and of course, you may already know about their other miracles.

Spider silk is one of nature's wonder materials, more flexible than nylon, thinner than a human hair, and, for its weight, stronger than steel. Webs and nests are spun from this incredible natural protein and spiders use thin threads to glide through the air and escape from predators. Now science is looking to exploit silk's properties as a way to deliver medicines and heal our bodies.

The medicinal benefits of raw spider silk have been known for centuries. Ancient Greeks and Romans cleaned wounds with honey and vinegar and then used balled-up spider webs to stop the bleeding. And this: Have spiders been found in space?
As part of a global classroom experiment, two golden orb spiders (Nephila clavipes) lived in space and on the International Space Station (ISS) from May 16 to July 21, 2011.