Challenging Poetry

Paraguay: Nanduti Lace

her fingers twist the web—
laying spokes
like the sun’s rays
against the silk.
her needle is lightning—
pulling the lines
into a flower petal
or a stalk of corn
or the oven where she bakes.
no paper.
no stamp to tell her
where the spokes should gather
or where they should fan apart.
the world is her pattern.
and in the end,
she cuts the anchor—
thread by thread,
until all that is left
is her dream—
twisted into being.

line count: 21

Author's Note ▶︎

Nanduti is a form of embroidered lace brought to Paraguay by the Spanish and adopted by the native Guaraní women. It is characterized by circular motifs that resemble a spider's web, hence the name--Nanduti means spider's web.http://nandutilace.com/