Raiding The Larder (Poetry)

We’d watched his careful preparations
as the year drew to a close
wrapped his choice of summer flies
in silken bundles well ahead of time
before the colder zephyr blows
and survival then relies
on his neatly-stored supplies

Tucked tight into the window’s frame
he guarded them for weeks
a leg or two just visible
as daylight shrank and winter came
we kept an eye on him
gave him a spider-friendly name
while the weather brooded dull ...

Then he vanished from his nest
just when that was we couldn’t say
or what impulse made him go
had him wake and crawl away
leave his larder unattended
those food parcels undefended
all abandoned in a row

A mystery — his disappearance
no explanation came to mind
and half-dismissed until this morning
(of poor Sidney still no sign)
when a bluetit hung suspended
broke the silk-tied packs and plundered
insect content — boldly robbed him
                                        good as blind