If We Were Weavers
If people had strings, I could catch up with them.
I could follow their lines across the sands of time,
Watch as their leads tangle with one another, only to emerge apart,
A visual testament to broken hearts.
I would wind my way through the changing corridors of their minds,
Unraveling recent memories unknown to mine
Escaping to their present as if guided by Ariadne’s crimson twine.
But people don’t have strings.
If they did, I could admire the tapestry we’d weave,
The rest of the world and me.
Spinning our separate webs, ensnaring each other,
Thread snagging and zigzagging,
Creating an awe-inspiring work of art.
No two souls could ever be kept apart.
We’d be no Arachne, the fabric would be flawed and frayed,
But it’d show that humanity can be bold and brave.
It’d show that we laughed, danced, and dined,
Who we loved, how we languished, and when we died.
It would offer an imperfect picture of what it is to be alive,
Everyone significant, our stories set as if in stone.
No memory forgotten, none lov’d loved alone.
According to ancient myth, the Greek hero Theseus escaped the Labyrinth using a spool of thread gifted to him by Ariadne.
The ancient Greeks thought the first spider was Arachne, a weaver who boasted that she was more skilled at her craft than the goddess Athena, who transformed her into the arachnid for her transgressions.
Ella Young is a sophomore studying English and Anthropology. In her free time, she enjoys writing, sewing, participating in/watching various sports, and reading. Classic works of literature are her favorites—she is an avid Jane Austen fan. Ella would like to thank all the teachers and professors along the way who have helped her improve her skills as a writer.