Insects of Mass Destruction

Some say assassin bugs, some scorpions,

but in the second century AD,

the Hatrians, as if with magic wands,

forced Severus’ besieging men to flee

with frightful potted bugs hurled at the throng.

One of the oldest types held bees in hives

flung at the enemy, who knew those long

barbed stingers could be nastier than knives.

And then there were the plague-infected fleas,

bred on the blood of prisoners of war,

that Ishii unloosed on the Chinese,

taking four hundred thousand lives or more.

Yet Man, by far the world’s most wicked bug,

shrinks from a spider crawling on the rug.

(Originally appeared in 14 by 14.)