Wednesday's Verse - The Creepers in the Tunnels Knew

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This week’s verse moves from a poem inspired by the global unity that grew out of the Je Suis Charlie terror attack of 2015, to a fantasy poem about an encounter with underground monsters. It is taken from 366 Days of Poetry, a collection of mixed-genre poetry released in 2016.

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The Creepers in the Tunnels Knew


The creepers in the tunnels knew

from whence would come the travellers’ doom.

They grew along the walls and watched,

as the intruders set a fire and cooked

what would be their final meal

in the dark, where night concealed

creatures of more subtlety

than the creeper growing free

along the arching walls that they

had so carefully avoided,

when they set up camp.



The creepers in the tunnels knew

the subtlety’s wherein they grew,

and watched with plant’s delight

as, from behind each stalactite,

the weavers on their threads descended

on silent sleepers not well defended,

each taking one of the travellers sleeping

and sinking stingers deep, and keeping

hold with pedipalps and claws

their struggling prey pressed to the floor.



The creepers in the tunnels knew,

and when the weavers, well fed, withdrew,

they their tendrils sent to seek anew

the travellers’ remains.

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You can find the first two poetry collections at the links below - although there are plans to reissue them with more genre-appropriate covers in the future. The third collection will be released later in the year.


Location: Canberra ACT 2601, Australia

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