constructing poetry

Zhīzhū

in every thread,
story weaves—binding
family together through
spider’s art.

once, when stories were new,
one young wife left her mother’s
home for her own.
her husband was strong
and brave and his emperor
loved him and called him
battle-commander, miles and months away,
while she was left at home,
amid servants who knew her not
and kept her house clean
and kept her food cooked
and she was left keeping nothing
but her husband,
so far away,
and she was lonely.
and she was bored.

she wrote her mother,
asking for counsel, and her mother
said learn poetry—
but she had no gift for words.
she wrote her sister,
asking for counsel, and her sister
said console yourself in your children,
but she had no child
nor husband at home,
she wrote her best friend from childhood,
asking for counsel, and her friend
said find some young man
and explore while your husband is gone,
but she loved her husband
and could not see another.

so, in despair, young wife
sat at her window,
and looked out after her husband,
goddess Zhīzhū, who is Spider,
came and smiled, and showed her
that between her husband and her
was thread, finer than spider silk.
“Gather that thread and remember
your mother’s teachings, for it is your love
and it will bring him home again.”

that very hour, she wound yarn
and set warp and wove weft
using thread made from heart.
soon, she had scarf
that she sent her husband
holding her love
and he remembered her
and came home again.

and she taught her daughters
how strong yarn
weaves family together.

line count: 56

Prompt ▼

Prompt for: Feb 7 (Fyn)
Subject or Theme: The Chinese have many gods, and many 'household' gods, each with their own myths surrounding them. Create a 'god of (something)' within a household or family and it's surrounding myth and what it represents. Opt for the unique and different.
Word(s) to Include: the word for what your god represents. (using the example below - sustenance) (or any derivatives of these words)
Forbidden Word(s): of, the, a, an, with, by, to (or any derivatives of these words)DOUBLE AND TRIPLE CHECK. WE WILL!
Additional Parameters: find out what the name of the god would be; for example, the god of rice would be named: mĭfàn and the symbolism might be the god of sustenance. This will be the name of your poem as well; ie. Mĭfàn. AT LEAST 36 lines. DO check the Steam Room for helpful link to give you ideas. Be descriptive, creative. if I have used a word, like 'there' for example, it is allowed.
Remember, do not use forbidden words ANYWHERE, including title or the brief description.