I am in Ghana, searching for a mosquito which I have prepared to encounter. The yellow fever vaccine has prepared me against this fever which can be fatal. I take my malaria tabs everyday and still I have not seen a mosquito.
On my way up Prayer Mountain, I wear my insect repellent scarf and no mosquito comes to me. All my precautions come forth in the shower of my host family whose son has malaria. I swat that mosquito dead.
out in the jungle
tropical vegetation
yet no mosquito
We have had this problem back in India too. Mosquitoes give Dengue which is deadly.
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You took me on an interesting journey in your haibun, Jane. I have no experience of malaria, yellow fever or mosquitoes that carry disease. I admire anyone who makes dangerous journeys in the name of science and to help others. The final sentence of the prose is very satisfying: ‘I swat that mosquito dead’!
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Mosquitos are a scourge. Little disease ridden biting bastards. Hate ‘em. You be damned careful with those blood suckers there Jane.
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I really fear that the diseases born by insects won’t return… at one time we were successful pushing them back…
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Seriously – what good do they do? The twist at the end works in the poem but I feel sorry for the poor boy. Not so for that mosquito.
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