Church of Shadow & Light
orb weavers on the garage door
Yesterday I wandered out to the driveway to check the mail and the state of the trail down to the lake. There was no mail, and the trail was where it always is, albeit a little more weedy and mosquito-infested than a few days ago, so my time on it was short and swift. As I was walking by the garage post trail walk, en-route to the garden, I noticed a little white spot on the car-sized doors. Upon further inspection, the white spot was the result of a very busy orb weaver spider’s efforts to create a nice egg pouch for itself.
A solid effort by the spider, however a less than ideal place to put one’s offspring… since when the car is necessary, the door goes up (effectively sweeping anything on the front right off). I’m not what you would call a lover of spiders, but they don’t send me running off, either. I can appreciate their way of being in the world and how they contribute to the ecosystem and add beauty in their spidery ways. Orb weavers in particular are very docile, non-aggressive creatures and when not weaving egg pouches, they are capable of creating large circular webs, the kind that sparkle in morning dew when the sun hits just right. Usually I find them in the raspberry patch keeping silent watch over the fruit while waiting for their next meal.
Anyway, since it wasn’t going to work for this spider to stay on the garage door, I moved it to a nearby peony bush. Where I hope it lives a long and prosperous orb weaver life.
I’m telling you this story for two reasons, outside of the fact that orb weavers are interesting:
I attended a workshop with poet
awhile back and one of her prompts was around writing a poem directly to something in nature. I chose to write to an orb weaver.And this poem, which I scribbled in a notebook and forgot about, resurfaced as I was going through things the other day. I ended up reworking it and now it’s in my next poetry collection, which is due out next spring.
So, thanks Maggie, for the prompt, and thanks orb weavers everywhere, for being what you are and existing in the world how you do.
ORB WEAVER You create round rugs of crystal light, masterpieces drawn with silk straight from the sun, heaven-sent strands drenched with awe, delicate brushstrokes on a work of art dropped straight from a place of magic –but look– not all of us know how to weave orbs that shine as if infused by wonder …so will you show me how? I imagine it’s like tasting a diamond’s luster or feeling a translucent beauty wash bare skin or hearing angels slinging love straight into your marrow –am I right? Well, anyway, it’s not your job to tell me, so I’ll imagine a world where bones are lightning and skin’s a mirror, bark and soil, claw and fin portals to a realm where everything alive, from spiders to willows to polar bears to trout to moss to cats along with any number of humans across the globe, weave webs of wonder from light that lingers long after the world tries to snuff it out.
Church of Shadow and Light is a call to transform the inner and outer conflicts that shape our world. This powerful collection delves into the interplay between shadow and light, inviting readers to embark on a profound journey of self-exploration and spiritual awakening. Through a blend of introspective inquiry, heartfelt prayer, and a vision for a more harmonious existence, Heidi Barr invites us to confront and heal the violence within ourselves and our communities. At its heart, Church of Shadow and Light is an urgent plea for peace, encouraging us to relinquish the weapons—both tangible and intangible—that perpetuate conflict. “What’s worth going toward with your whole life?” Sit with the questions, and discover a path to personal and collective healing.
It's not out til next spring, but you can preorder now from the Wayfarer Books online store which is always a great help to authors and publishers alike as a book moves through the final stages of production toward publication.
And be sure to get your copy of Stories from the Trail, an anthology about hiking that myself and a number of contributors discussed last night via Vintage Books:
as well as a copy of
’s just-released-yesterday memoir, Becoming Little Shell.Here’s to ending August with good books, walks that are mindful enough to notice the details, and whatever else you need (be it a small perspective shift to a major turning of the life-situation-tide) to feel like you’re showing up to life how you want to.