ARRABELLA THE ARACHNID

In September 1999 a spider took up residence in my driver's wing-mirror. I had returned to the car several times after parking it in town to find a web. Then whilst driving along I noticed the spider hanging on to the web and swaying in the wind.
I wrote a haiku which I shared with friends. Arrabella, as she came to be called, developed fans in the USA and Australia. Despite torrential rainstorms on the weekend of 19th September, she and her web survived. Below are some pictures of this creature who found a home in my wing-mirror, together with some poems by writers inspired by her story.

Gerald England

ARRABELLA
Arrabella web walker peaceful warrior terrifying the child within.
Victoria Tarrani

ARRABELLA
Arrabella, twilight dancer, moved with speed and grace up a side of metal to a smaller, private place. Harbored from the wind and weather, safety was achieved; there inside the mirror's frame her tangled web was weaved. Arrabella, morning greeter, rested in the sun, looking out in admiration at the work she'd done. When suddenly the world began to move around her space, and wind rushed in to try and shake her from her sheltered place. Arrabella, valliant warrior, huddled in the lee. Determined not to lose her home, she clung courageously, til finally the wind died down; the world returned to norm and Arrabella realized she'd ridden out the storm. Arrabella, truimph bearer, smiled at the world from the safety of the corner where her form was curled. Her new web safe, her world complete, she settled down to sleep; Arrabella, twilight dancer, had found a home to keep.
T E Blair

ARRABELLA

Arrabella, twilight dancer, moved with speed and grace
up a side of metal to a smaller, private place.
Harbored from the wind and weather, safety was achieved;
there inside the mirror's frame her tangled web was weaved.

Arrabella, morning greeter, rested in the sun,
looking out in admiration at the work she'd done.
When suddenly the world began to move around her space,
and wind rushed in to try and shake her from her sheltered place.

Arrabella, valliant warrior, huddled in the lee.
Determined not to lose her home, she clung courageously,
til finally the wind died down; the world returned to norm
and Arrabella realized she'd ridden out the storm.

Arrabella, truimph bearer, smiled at the world
from the safety of the corner where her form was curled.
Her new web safe, her world complete, she settled down to sleep;
Arrabella, twilight dancer, had found a home to keep.

T E Blair

Photographs © Gerald England, 1999

The Original Arrabella		Arrabella +1		Arrabella +2		Arrabella +3
Photograph and haiku by Gerald England		Poetry by Ann Rivers, Star Morris and Michael Dylan Welch		Haiku by Celia Crook, Alison Williams, Maria Steyn, David J. Platt, Catherine Mair, Patricia Prime, William J. Higginson and Owen Burkhart		Photograph by Gerald England Poetry by Sue Mill, Peter Williams and Joan Payne Kincaid

Arrabella +4		Arrabella +5		Arrabella +6		Arrabella +7
Haiga by Angelee Deodhar Poetry by Steve Sneyd, Mark Johnson, Andrei Dorian Gheorghe and Ferris Gilli		Photograph by Robin Estill Poetry by Steve Sneyd, Max Verhart and Marc Thompson		Photograph by Coral Hull Poem by Robin Estill Zip by John Carley Haibun by Paul T. Conneally		Photograph and haibun by Carol Sircoulomb

For a site with an excellent range of links to information on spiders see Herman Vanuytven's Arachnology Home Page

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A new domain name has now been established at http://www.geraldengland.org.uk/. Much of the work presently found here will be transferred to the new site over the next few months. The following sections will NOT be transferred:

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It is expected that this site will close down around the end of 2005.

ARRABELLA THE ARACHNID

Photographs © Gerald England, 1999

For a site with an excellent range of links to information on spiders see Herman Vanuytven's Arachnology Home Page

Web design by Gerald England This page last updated: 22nd September 2005.

Web design by Gerald England
This page last updated: 22nd September 2005.