Hard to Swallow

There was an old lady who swallowed a spider—
“So what?” you might say. “That’s the norm.
When we’re sleeping, we swallow four spiders a year,
If not more.” That’s a practical swarm.

The usual estimate’s probably eight,
But it sometimes goes up to a pound
In a lifetime, which means 20,000 all told
At a frequency rather profound.

I’ve happily read that the actual average
Person is swallowing none.
It’s tricky to sleep with eight legs on your face,
And why go for your mouth? It’s not done.

The legend might trace to the ‘50s or sooner.
It’s said to have had a revival,
Ironically thanks to a list of known myths,
Being spread with the Web’s great arrival.