Musca Domestica (Poetry Monthly)

Cherry

By Ed Crane

Sat, 09 Apr 2016
  • 2929 reads
9 comments
 

The house fly, more than an insect. A biological, pre-programmed flying machine permanently painted in battle livery. In airy summer rooms acting out dog-fights, in the find-a-mate war. CC surveillance eyes duck flying hands and newspapers of humans doubting their hygiene. Angelic gossamer wings power it to rotting flesh and canines’ curled ordure where it plants six sticky feet and feeds with a French kiss. It visits leaving a deadly calling-card, derived from a misspent youth in a dark fetid place left by the very animals that led to its evolution.

 

(Image courtesy Wikimedia Commons)

Certificate PG
Poetry Monthly
Nature

Comments

Submitted by Bee on

Great description of a creature that is wonderfully engineered, yet making us doubt our hygiene. 

Bee

Submitted by Ed Crane on

Thank you very much!

When I read about House flies on Wiki I was surprised to learn, similarly to dogs, this species evolved to take advantage of Humans. I don't know what that says about us . . . or dogs!

Edx

 

 

Submitted by Ed Crane on

 

 

Submitted by VeraClark on

Always remember my dad showing me with a microscope what blow flies do on meat. This flies fast, lovely pace, Ed.

 

Submitted by Ed Crane on

Not the most romantic thing to write about, but I wanted to try something different.

 

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

I've just noticed the 'Poetry Monthly' section, and so noticed this. You've packed a lot in cleverly. I don't agree with evolutionary assumptions, but in a now 'fallen/damaged' world the poor housefly does show us such a mixture of beauty and revulsion (in the sense of 'keep off our food'!), and the idea that, for us, his misspent youth is the cause of that, is funny! Rhiannon

 

Submitted by Ed Crane on

I also find it hard to accept the housefly evolved around humans, but I guess for a different reason. It is probably a sub-species of another fly which was around before humans. I suppose you could argue God caused this to make us dirty humans improve our hygiene, but whatever it is I can't argue with you feeling the World is fallen/damaged (by humans).

"Beauty and revulsion" sums it up very well when thinking about these insects. However, what I meant by misspent youth is the fact they pick up a lot of the pathogens they carry while in the larvae stage feeding on rotting meat, fish and vegetations and also faeces. Yuk!

In their defence, perhaps I should have mentioned the good they do by breaking down dead animals and returning their nutrients to the soil. If it wasn't for these and similar other flies (bluebottles etc) we would be living knee deep in stinking filthy rotting corpses.

 

 

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

Just to say, Ed, I had realised what you meant by 'misspent youth' and thought it clever and funny!

The term 'fallen' is used by Christians for the fact that human mutiny and sin caused God to remove his total caring control of the perfection of creation, though still keeping it going, and promising the perfect creation will be restored one day, but for now allowing many problems, and of course people make things worse, and dont pray for help.

And yes, I too thought of the aid to decompostion and cleaning up messes that they do - but keep them away from clean food! Rh

 

Submitted by Ed Crane on

God and/or Mother Nature has a good use for all animals I believe, although I do struggle to see the benifits Mosquitoes, Flees and Tick offer. Thanks again for your commentssmiley