I am terrifying.
I am disgusting.
I am ugly.
But I don’t try to be;
I try my best to be soft and welcoming.
But no matter what I do, no matter where I go,
Their looks of judgment and disgust always seem to follow.
My poison may be deadly, but I don’t like to use it.
My bite may be painful and ugly, but I won’t bite unless bitten.
You won’t get trapped in my web, because I don’t want to trap you.
I don’t enjoy hurting others, but others hurt me.
If I hit back when hit and attack when attacked,
Then that means I’m violent, it means I’m a monster.
People run away from my voice; they run away from my looks; they run away from me.
They are scared of me, yet they’ve never considered that I might be more scared of them.
I could be the kindest soul they’ve ever met, but because I am a spider,
They will always treat me the same.
They are scared of diversity, of creatures unlike themselves.
So, I pray one day, they might treat me the same.