There are some things in nature that seem supernatural or science fictional. That is how I first felt about “zombie fungus” the first time I learned about it. How could something so strange be…normal? If you are unfamiliar with zombie fungus, check out this Planet Earth segment as a primer. Essentially, a species of cordyceps fungus can colonize certain ants, which means it invades their bodies. What’s wild, though, is that from there the fungus can manipulate behavior to ensure that the ant does what’s best for the fungus. Eventually, it kills the ant, but not before manipulating it to die in a spot that is ideal for the fungus to continue growing, which it does in dramatic fashion by emerging from the ant (again, watch the video clip for the full picture).
When I was pregnant with my daughter, I felt a striking similarity between zombie fungus and a developing baby. For one, there was a foreign object growing inside me that was altering nearly everything about me — my brain, my body, my thoughts, etc. It had its support organ, the placenta, rooted into my uterus to divert blood, use nutrients, and create an immune shield so my immune system didn’t attack. I felt like I was experiencing mind control at times — craving food I didn’t normally eat, germinating new worries, and experiencing hormonal brain fog. For many women, past and present, the birth (emergence) of said baby can also be dangerous and life-threatening. The parallels felt abundant.
So, my poem titled “What to Expect When You’re Expecting Cordyceps”, now published in Thomasonian Magazine, was conceived of and born.
My intention with this poem is to weave together zombie fungus action (left side of the poem) with human pregnancy (right side of the poem). The italicized lines are shared experiences between the two. Due to the topics of this poem, and their potential inaccessibility to a general audience, I did opt for TWO epigraphs to set up the scene.
Also, a note on the timing. I wrote this poem *after* The Last of Us aired, but before I’d watched it. The Last of Us, if you haven’t seen it, is a TV series that imagines a world where a type of zombie fungus (in theory a type of cordyceps) has invaded humans and those infected are dangerous and violent as they try to infect more people. A brilliant premise for a show, in my opinion, since zombie fungus is intriguing but also scary. It launched zombie fungus into the cultural pysche, which is why I wanted to note the (unrelated) timing.
In related musings (horror/body horror), this poem (and post) are timely considering the string of weird books I’ve been reading, including a collection of horror short stories (She’s Always Hungry by Eliza Clark) with strong themes of body horror and the first ‘cosmic horror’ I’ve ever read (The Dark Convoy by Calvin Ness).
Cheers to the weird!
Linking one last time for good measure: “What to Expect When You’re Expecting Cordyceps”
Recently read*: Uncomfortable Ecologies by Elizabeth Joy Levinson and Our Wives Under the Sea by Julia Armfield
*please remember that book links going to Bookshop.org are my affiliate links to spread the love to indie bookstores 💜
Recent internet search of note: Books about the history of plastic
Considering buying several books on this topic…
Political action recap:
Not much to report here on my own personal action. Trying to stay informed without complete overwhelm which is, well, nearly impossible!
Thanks for reading!
Incredible news, congratulations!! I specifically love the lines "two cries / hearts no longer tied"