Tuesday 28 June 2011

Schistosoma

Erm, Tess' prompt this week brought just one thought to my mind, that of parasites, very colourful parasites I grant you – but parasites nevertheless!

Schistosoma

By the process of elimination
We little parasitic eggs
Move in fast flowing water,
Drift into ponds and
Welcoming wells
Quickly hatch into embryo
(Miricidia)
And move to survive
Penetrating a mollusc
A freshwater snail
Enclosed in its shell.

By a series of transformation
We leave our host mollusc
As contaminating larvae
(Or cercariae if you please)
Spread through surrounding water
And penetrate the skin
Of bathers and swimmers
Clothes washers, pissers and shiters –
Usually select children –
One prick and we're in!
We move up your veins,
Into your heart then your lungs
Transform into worm like adults
Climb into your trachea
(Now here's the insult!)
You swallow us and we set up home
In your small intestine or duodenum
Mate for life with our soul mate
Producing millions of eggs
That by the process of elimination
Move into fast flowing water…

That is, except the eggs
That penetrates your gut wall
And transported by blood
Cause trouble in your liver,
Spleen and lung or
Genitor-urinary apparatus.

Anna :o]

Read about Schistosoma here.

22 comments:

tarunima said...

i think you told the story of these worms pretty well!
what a creative way of looking at the prompt and writing a poem on it,well done:)

ADDY said...

Eeeeugh. I'm steering clear of water in the future!!!

Maggie said...

Eek, I see you went creepy, too. : )

Isabel Doyle said...

yup - I thought liver flukes but restrained myself!
You handled the natural history beautifully

jabblog said...

Yikes! A beautifully-told tale and the 'proper names' remove it from sheer horror into a clinical realm of acceptance;-)

Anonymous said...

I thought they looked like parasites too. Very interesting and intelligently written piece. Though it does freak me out lol It's fascinating

Helen said...

Sounds like you have been writing for an episode of "House" .... love how you worked your magic.

Glenn Buttkus said...

Macabre, chilling, much too real
for those of us already surrounded
by divers carcinogens, noxious gases,
voracious viruses, and vexing infections.
Yet, you held us fast for the full journey;
great job.

indiwriter said...

omg! now i can feel something distinctly wriggly in my veins!

nice take :)

Sue J said...

That was interesting, but I don't know if I really wanted to know that! (grinning).

Lyn said...

This is definitely ready for a super 3-D hyper production..which one will play the hero? You have a fine mind!!

hyperCRYPTICal said...

Thanks for your kind comments folks.

I immediately thought liver flukes. Parasites intrigue me - what was God thinking of? But I guess every living organism has its place in the world, its meaning, its role.

Extrapolation of parasites that eventually kill their hosts - I don't understand at all!

Anna :o]

susan m hinckley said...

I thought worms . . . but I love the idea of colorful parasites. So just how did you know all of that ickity-ick detail? A really creepy poem and a well-done magpie!

Laurie Kolp said...

Very educational and a little gross... great piece!

Strummed Words said...

I admire your poem. It also makes me glad I'm unable to see through the eyes of a biologist!

Celestial Dreamz said...

ooops! ... smiles ... a very interesting and off bit take ... loved it

annell4 said...

Maybe a little more than I really wanted to know. I don't think I like them. Don't want them. What are they good for? Wonderful write.

Mary said...

I am not sure that I wanted to know all this. LOL.

kaykuala said...

Frighteningly realistic. Your brought them out in the open brilliantly. Thanks for the visit.

hyperCRYPTICal said...

Thank you so much for your kind comments folks.

Anna :o]

Anonymous said...

Very apt. Like how the poem forces one to look at reality rather than lull the reader into a deceptive 'all's well with the world'.

hyperCRYPTICal said...

Thanks for your comment nimaruichi.

Anna :o]