At night it crept into my bed,
On its search for something to eat,
And it bit me on the forehead,
As I rolled on it in the sheet.

At first, I didn’t feel a thing,
But in a few hours I did.
Right after it gave me the sting,
The spider scurried off and hid.

For that’s what is meant by "recluse" -
It prowls at night and is unseen.
Don’t look for it, for it’s no use,
That spider will get away clean.

Next day came the swelling and pain - A big pimple without a head. For three days, so it would remain, And then a red scab formed instead. My temperature began to rise, The spider sting looked ugly, too. It was very close to my eyes - One was getting more red than blue. It began to hurt more and more. I paid the doctor a visit, And got medicine for the sore. Now, just where in my bed is it? © Richard McCusker

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