Mother Spider makes a plan

And sets to work as best she can

She weaves her strands of cruelty tight

And coats them with affection bright

The tallest tales adorn her nest

All underpinned with malice best

A fine veneer of fair deceit

This faked accord is quite a feat

This web’s a work of sheer delight

It’s shiny new and clean and bright

But pull it here, and tug it there,

It tumbles into disrepair

Its anchor ropes are paper thin

They’re only made of waffling

And cheats, and tales, and sleight-of-hand

Malice wraps it strand by strand

But Mother Spider doesn’t care

She hardly seems to be aware

Mother Spider shuts her eyes

And weaves another web of lies