The Giant Poem– A Fall Spider Poem for Kids
- Deborah Ann Martin
- Oct 4
- 3 min read
When the Smallest Creatures Feel Like Giants
I like this poem because fall brings out so many spiders. Like... where were they all summer? Suddenly, they're everywhere, dangling from trees, crawling across porch railings, popping out of places they definitely shouldn’t be.
I have a love-hate relationship with spiders. If they’re outside, doing their spider jobs, catching bugs, building those incredible webs that sparkle in the morning dew. I’m like, “Wow. Nature is amazing.” I’ll even stop and admire the design. It’s like tiny architecture.
But let one of those little creepers get on me? Nope. Done. I’m screaming, flailing, running in circles. I don’t care if it’s the size of a poppy seed in that moment, it’s the size of a tarantula, and I’m the star of my own horror movie.
Don’t even get me started on invisible cobwebs. You know the ones. You’re just walking along, minding your business, and bam ...web to the face. Suddenly, you’re karate chopping the air, patting your head like you're on fire, spinning in frantic circles, trying to find the spider you’re now convinced is crawling down your back.
And those dusty cobwebs hanging in the corner of the ceiling? I swear they’re the spider’s way of mocking me. Like, “Yeah... I live here now. Come find me.!”
Well, let me tell you when I’m ready, and I’ve got a shoe in hand? .....
That’s what inspired my fall spider poem, The Giant. It’s a short, silly one from my Seasons children's poem book, and it captures that hilarious (and horrifying) moment when a tiny spider turns into a GIANT just because it got too close.
Because let’s be honest: even the most itsy bitsy spider becomes a monster when it’s crawling on you.
The Giant
On a fall day
A spider crawled her way
The itsy bitsy spider
Looks like a giant beside her
She let out a shrill
And ran down the hill
The spider crawled away
Enjoying the fall day
From the Seasons Collection
From Seasons: Poems for Early Readers
© 2025 Deborah Ann Martin. All rights reserved.
Reflection on My Fall Spider Poem-The Giant
This poem is all about perspective and how something tiny can feel massive depending on how we experience it.
In the fall, spiders and their webs are everywhere:
On trees…
Under leaves…
even stringing webs across the porch ...
And most react the same when you accidentally walk through one. It’s a full-body flail. Instant chaos.
Ducking, spinning, and swatting at the air like you're fighting off a ghost only you can see.
From my perspective: Outside = beautiful.
On me or in my house = battle mode.
Others perspective:
Some have them as pets (not in my house)
Some panic so bad their hospitalized
Some are like me
So while this poem is playful and silly, it also reminds us to have a little empathy. It reminds us that fear isn’t always logical; it’s emotional. And for kids especially, even the tiniest things can feel giant in the moment.
The Style Behind the Words
Poetry Style Name: Light Narrative Nature Poem
Structure and Form: 8 lines, rhymed couplets
Meter: Short, playful phrasing — mostly trimeter
Rhyme and Rhyme Scheme: AABBCCDD
Sound and Rhythm: Bouncy and quick — mirrors the feeling of a scare and a dash
Poetic Devices:
Contrast: “Itsy bitsy spider” that feels like a giant
Visual Imagery: Fall day, hill, crawling spider, running child
Tone: Playful, slightly startled, and relatable
Theme: Fear, perspective, seasonal change
Explore the Seasons Collection
The Giant is part of a smaller poetry collection I created called Seasons — filled with child-friendly poems about the changing weather, animals, nature, and all the quirky things we experience as the year goes on.
Stay tuned all month as I share more poems from this delightful little set.
References
Seasons Poems for Early Readers. Deborah Ann Martin, 2025.
Deborah Ann Martin Amazon Author Central Page: https://www.amazon.com/author/deborahamartin
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