“Huh!”

sulked Squidge

in his scraggy old web.

“It’s not fair!

The birds are catching big blue flies.

All I’ve caught is a scrawny old gnat.

I won’t get very fat on that!”

 

He heard the birds singing their bright and breezy songs.

“Ah ha!” squeaked Squidge. “I’m going to sing!

I’m sure that will bring the flies to my web!

 

Come pretty flies to my glistening web –

It’s warm and soft just like your bed.

Rest your wings and rest your feet;

Close your eyes and let me eat.”

A big blue fly shook her head and smiled,

“Silly spider! I’ll tell you what you have to do.

Spin a new silver web – then we might visit you!”

He huffed, he gruffed, “Don’t you tell me what to do!

I’m a scary spider – and I’m cleverer than you!”

 

Squidge sulked,

“Huh!”

in his scraggy old web.

“It’s not fair!

The bats are catching big black flies.

All I’ve caught is a scrawny old gnat

and a wispy wasp wing.

I won’t get very fat on that thing!”

 

He saw the bats flitting and fluttering their wings.

“Ah ha!” squeaked Squidge.  “I’m going to dance!

I’m sure that will bring the flies to my web!”

 

 

 

He shimmied and twirled and tried to prance;

Then scrambled a mangled and tangled dance.

He swung and dangled on a silvery thread –

And flicked his feet and jiggled his head.

 

A big black fly shook his head and smiled,

“Silly spider! I’ll tell you what you have to do.

Spin a new silver web – then we might visit you!”

He huffed, he gruffed, “Don’t you tell me what to do!

I’m a scary spider – and I’m cleverer than you!”

 

Squidge sulked,

“Huh!”

in his scraggy old web.

“It’s not fair!

The frogs are catching big green flies.

All I’ve caught is a scrawny old gnat,

a wispy wasp wing, and a dandelion seed.

I won’t get very fat on a weed!”

 

He heard the frogs plopping and slopping in the mud.

“Ah ha!” squeaked Squidge. “I’ll make a band!

I’m sure that will bring the flies to my web!”

 

He blew a squeal on a flower horn,

And beat some sticks on an old acorn.

He clashed dry leaves, and shook some seeds,

Then strummed the grass with his hairy knees.

 

A big green fly shook her head and smiled,

“Silly spider! I’ll tell you what you have to do.

Spin a new silver web – then we might visit you!”

He huffed, he gruffed, “Don’t you tell me what to do!

I’m a scary spider – and I’m cleverer than you!”

 

 

 

Squidge sulked,

“Huh!”

in his scraggy old web.

He saw the flies dashing – flashing their silvery wings.

“Ah ha!” squeaked Squidge. “I’ll spin some silk!

Perhaps that will bring the flies to my web!”

 

So he swung to a twig of a hawthorn tree –

weaving and twisting soft strands with his knee.

He hung upside down and clung on by his toes

and raced round and round with his sticky black nose.

The birds now sang, “What a wonderful web!”

The bats all clicked, “What a beautiful web!”

The frogs they croaked, “What a magical web!”

 

It dazzled the eyes of the juicy, fat flies

when they flew by to see the fantastical tree.

They crashed then they kicked,

then they buzzed a great shout –

“It’s sticky! It’s icky! Ergh! We can’t get out!”

 

Squidge sat in the corner of his twinkling new web.

He rubbed his round tummy.

He smiled –

And he burped.

 

© Charlie Wilson 2014