When you said we should love all your creatures
And I try – you know that I do
When you told us that we should love them
Did you mean mosquitoes too?
**
Yes, I know that some humans are awful
And I know we’ve not done very well
And it’s true that I felt some relief, God
When the Vatican redefined hell
**
Cause I have to confess that when bitten
My thoughts would make even you blush
And I really can wait for your answer
There is truly no need for a rush
You know how it hurts me to kill them
How I wince and regret such bad things
But please tell me why you made some creatures
Why on earth did you give them their wings?
Take that Japanese beetle for instance
In fact, I implore you, please do
Cause that Japanese beetle’s created
Leafy holes big enough to see through
God, those beetles will be my undoing
As they munch on our healthy green leaves
Did you see what they did to our garden
Do you not think them terrible thieves?
And another thing, God, that I wonder
For those earwigs are such awful pests
Who have set up their homes in our veggies
Did you mean them or just all the rest?
**
So dear God, I must ask you this question
Cause I know you like people with spunk
When you made such troublesome creatures
Were you maybe a little bit drunk?
There are people in my blogging network
Who’ll be horrified that I’m so bold
But I really do need to be honest
Cause I like being part of your fold
**
So again I must ask you this question
And I know you will tell me the truth
Do you not think that some of your creatures
Are a tiny bit mean and uncouth?
I am sorry to bug you with nonsense
And I know that I should never fuss
For some people are dealing with big things
And they never complain, swear or cuss
But dear God could you give me an answer
One day when you’ve got some free time
As to what I should think of these insects
‘Stead of writing ridiculous rhyme
**
When you said we should love all your creatures
And I try – you know how I do
When you said that we really should love them
Did you mean all the awful ones too?
**
Somewhat Inspired by Theologian C. H. Spurgeon, via Levi Thetford’s blog.
© CSReyes
Cynthia Reyes 
Another fun romp Cynthia. Mosquitoes were definitely a mistake. An early prototype meant to be replaced. XD
A novel thought, Brad. I’ve never looked at it that way, but the next time someone complains about mosquitoes, I’ll try to remember it and say it… hoping to sound smart!
My grandson and I have of late been have similar conversations! Very clever, Cynthia. Hugs, N 🙂
Thanks for this, Natalie. Hope you and your grandson came to some wise answers!
I love your poem, Cynthia. It raises some difficult ethical and religious questions. I sometimes think that bugs were God’s only mistake, but then there are good ones like ladybugs (my favourite) and bees. When I turn into a homicidal maniac at the sight of a bug I try to remember the birds and bats that depend on them. (It doesn’t always make me feel better, though.)
Great reply, Georgeina.
Thank you! How’s your writing coming along? Well, I hope!
Funny! I can not love fleas; ever. Sandflies, ditto. But, really, I think God probably had the bugs nicely arranged till we went and messed with the environment. For example, what’s a Japanese Beetle doing in Canada? Apart from eating everything in sight that is!
Now, there’s a wise thought.
And Canada likes immigrants, but really….. I must say I felt a similar thing when I realized what they were.
But even if the Japanese beetles had stayed home, you still would have the problem of about 80 home grown species of mosquitoes. Makes you wonder if God wasn’t expecting people to come to Canada at all. 😉
I wonder all the time what God expected from us humans and also from the earth. We still have so much forest and water herein Canada that it makes me wonder if you are right.
In the meantime, as we wonder, you could ask the better half to plant some of these and you can record if they do actually repel mosquitoes. 😀 http://www.motherearthliving.com/gardening/fresh-clips-herbs-to-repel-insects.aspx#axzz37LLuQ7pr
Thanks. We have lots of mint and rosemary too. Will surely try! One handful of mint for the mosquitoes, one for the mojito….
Definitely!
Old wisdom: “sow one seed for the rook,one for the crow,one to die and one to grow”. Gardens don’t have to be perfect, look at the humans who look after them 🙂
Say what? Gardeners aren’t perfect? (big smile)
;D read somewhere the garden reflects the owners state of mind…. Mmmm, please don’t look at mine ! 😉
Oh this is wonderful … and how I identified with it! I do try to love/care for “God’s creatures” but mosquitoes and slugs are beyond redemption!
I hear you. One wonders what they’d have to say for themselves, in self-defense….
Brought smiles to my face.
I’m glad, Aggie.
Drunk God…. I hadn’t thought of that one. Drunk on drinking the distilled essence of the universe, I suppose. Meanwhile, I say kill the buggers. Kill ’em dead. Don’t let them eat the leaves of your precious flowers. Then, I suppose, if you have any problems at the Pearly Gates, invite God out for a drink and explain the whole thing. 🙂
I see you believe in asking forgiveness, not permission, Jim,
To badly paraphrase Samuel Clemens: at this stage in my life, I can’t afford to make any new enemies. If I get to the pearly gates, I’ll be so happy, I’ll be speechless!
This is a great post, Cynthia, as always. I wish you a wonderful day!!😀
Thanks, Levi. I hope your trip goes well. I’m wishing you a good day too.
Thank you. 😀👍
I love your poems! Thank-you for giving me a laugh today. Gardening organically is fine when all the pests are home-grown – eventually some bigger bug or bird comes along and everything evens itself out. Or we use citronella, lavender, tansy etc to protect ourselves. (Slug pellets made from sheep’s wool are extremely effective!) The problem comes when, through human error or carelessness at some point in the past, we have introduced a pest with no natural predators. I think these are the bugs we should worry less about getting rid of. These insects may eventually destroy our country’s native plants and our own native insects and where would we be then?
These pests have caused the destruction of many trees in the Greater Toronto Area in recent months – they and the ice storm cost us a lot of our tree canopy.
Those Japanese beetles seem to eat anything at all. And they multiply fast which I can understand because every second one I come across is fornicating with another.
What insects does lavender ward off?
Bunches of lavender will repel most insects (but not all!) Lavender (and box and rosemary) used as a hedge will put off slugs and snails. I used to know someone who was allergic to insect repellent sprays and she made a lavender lotion which she dabbed on her skin. She said it worked quite well.
I make sachets of lavender seeds each year and put in our bedrooms and linen closets to deter moths. And we use lavender soap and lavender hand lotion. But these other uses sound great too. thanks Clare. Please have a look at Lee McLeod’s question about mildew attacking her begonias, in case you have any ideas. Thanks again!
I think I’ve got a garden problem this year not with bugs but with mildew especially on my begonias. It makes the bugs look almost friendly. A vicious attack has taken out all my hanging baskets of begonias in less than a week. Any advice? And yes – right on about the bugs. There should be a separate hell for Japanese beetles and slugs! Not part of God’s plan surely! Lee frustrated with Begonias.
Oh my gosh! Lee, I hope one of the bloggers here will have some advice for you. In the Greater toronto Area, many people chose begonias for annuals this year, because a fungus or something took out all the impatiens. I have no idea what foul mildew is at work, but I will ask my fellow bloggers (Jim, Gallivanta, New Hampshire Gardens, Clare and Hopeful Herbalist are you listening?) If they have any tips, I know they’ll pass on as soon as they read your question.
In general molds and mildews are caused by high humidity and poor air circulation. Unfortunately once a plant has powdery mildew there is usually little that can be done, but there are ways to prevent it in the future.
The American Begonia Society might be of help. You can find them here: http://www.begonias.org/Articles/Vol72/PowderyMildew.htm
Thank you for this reply!
You’re welcome.
I agree with New Hampshire Garden Solutions – cause of mildew is high humidity, not enough air circulation and the plants being too dry at their roots. Destroy all mildew infected bits asap before the spores can spread to other parts/plants. Alliums grown near to mildew-prone plants helps but this takes time to work apparently (according to one of my plant books – The Complete Book of Companion Planting by Bob Flowerdew) and one doesn’t normally grow alliums in hanging baskets! Feeding the plants regularly will make them stronger and more resistant.
The same book talks about home-made pesticides. In the UK it is now illegal to make our own sprays but the author lists plants that were once used in general purpose sprays (for historical interest) and because these plants may have useful companion effects in repelling pests. Allium sativum, pelargonium spp. and tansy are all listed as plants used in sprays aganist Japanese beetles. This may be of use to you.
Many thanks, Clare. This all sounds like useful information.
Seems like my husband and I also need to plant MORE herbs, not fewer. So much for all my joking around about herbs. Though allium is both flower and herb, I guess. Thanks again for taking the time to provide this information in response to Lee McLeod.
Lee: I hope you’ve seen replies from Clare and New Hampshire Garden Solutions. seems to be lack of air circulation, but worth knowing what you might do to prevent the problem next time.
Excellent. I tell myself that they’re here for a reason even if I might not understand what that reason is. That doesn’t lessen the itching though.
It sure doesn’t. That’s what I tell myself most of the time, but we’re under attack from fornicating, masticating, multiplying Japanese beetles!
Please have a look-see at Lee McLeod’s question about the mildew attacking her begonias. Do you have any thoughts?
Well done! And I totally agree…God, what WERE you intending? 🙂
If you get an answer first, pass it on here, Rosie!
This was terrific Cynthia, so funny and at the same time so on target. And I would be willing to bet that God is still laughing–– I am too.
Thank you to you and God both!
It’s a fair question. 😀
I heartily agree. There are some creatures, like slugs and snails… And wasps too that I just wonder what the creator was thinking of…
Maybe to make sure humans don’t get too comfortable?
Or maybe they have a use. I remember how my former neighbour hated and trapped moles and voles — till he discovered that they eat the grubs that would otherwise become vegetable and flower-eating beetles. He suddenly stopped.
Funny! I certainly do not love mosquitos. Nor rabbits, squirrels, chipmunks or skunks.
I always like to think that there’s a reason for every creature alive, but there are definitely some that leave me shaking my head, too, Cynthia. You’ve hit quite a few. Here’s one – it might even get a post of its own some day – camel/cave crickets. Here just to creep the bejeebers out of us?
Great post and poem. Very funny – well, from here in NJ – watching the clematis (?) disappear to nothing.
Jeanne
Yes, to creep the bejeez out of us, I guess! As my clematis flowers disappear, tiny bit by tiny bit….
Thanks for liking this post, Jeanne. I appreciate it.
My pleasure, Cynthia!
i’ve noticed when I ask these questions out loud, God is Silent
so I take it as it is my free will to dispose of the pest as I see fit…
this is right on target in every gardeners mind 🙂 and you express our sentiments perfectly
Thank you foe saying it out loud
Take Care…You Matter…
)0(
maryrose
Reblogged this on Cynthia Reyes.
Loved your humor and your thinking process! The ying and the yang, the good and the bad, all in balance, so humans can execise free will and chose how to be. I guess we did exercsie our free will cuz we messed the whole thing up. Balance. Nope not any more. The insects may be the only species that survives our folly.
Ahh, I love it! Made me smile broadly to read this discourse. Isn’t it true? There are so many things to “ask God”, then the subsequent embarrassment, remembering all the “bigger things”. Splendidly captured! (I do hate mosquitoes!)
What a great poem! I wonder about these things myself.
I had this beautiful shrub called “Euonymus Emerald Gaiety” What a gorgeous shrub it “was”. I had it for a few years, and really enjoyed it. Then one summer day I noticed something on its leaves. It looked like someone had gotten it wet and then sprinkled handfuls of powdered laundry detergent on it. It was Euonymous scale. I fought it for awhile, but it finally one. 😦
Then there are these tiny inchworms I find hovering over my roses, dangling by a thread from somewhere in the trees above…so many little pests. It amazes me.
I also identify with the spiritual musing. I often wonder which things in the Bible are literal, and which are figurative. I literally believe the message of the gospel, but I really do appreciate all of the allegory that can be found in the Bible, too. 🙂
Blessings,
Theresa
So glad you re-blogged this. I’d forgotten how much I enjoyed it before 🙂
lol:-)
Oh how I hope He’s answered you and you can share His reasoning!! We are overrun here by bugs. I literally have been doing my barn work in the dark with a headlamp on my head as the gnats are so horrid you need a mask to breathe if you have a light on. Walking to the barn I’ve decided I need a “bee keepers” outfit to keep the mosquitoes off my hands and head. Never have I seen so many bugs.
I am not as nice as you and God and I have a different relationship when it comes to bugs as I boldly complain and curse loudly when bitten or spraying a vegetable plant full of holes!!
This was a wonderful read tonight before turning in! Your wit and words are a treasure!
You are intrepid! A warrior!
Cynthia, I’ve got a few of those pesky insects in my gardens, too. I’m torn, don’t want to stomp on them but don’t want them eating holes through my leaves either. My swiss chard looks like swiss cheese. Sigh. I guess I’ll let them eat chard!
Il reste des questions sans réponse parfois…. Et c’est aussi bien : tant de choses qu’on ne comprend pas 😉 Mais il y a de plus en plus d’insectes ravageurs dans nos jardins, et ça, je pense que l’être humain y est pour quelque chose(à force d’utiliser des produits chimiques, on les rend plus résistants et on observe aussi des mutations, enfin je pense…..)Dommage pour nos fleurs et nos légumes 🙂
I guess one of the benefits of being an atheist is being able to kill Japanese beetles with no regrets! 😉
Maybe I should hire an atheist to do all my awful-insect killing! That way I can pretend I didn’t do it. (big smile)
Hmmm . . . I think if there is a God, (s)he could figure that one out . . .
Good questions! These tiny critters are ingenious. The birch tree beside my house has “leaf miners”. They live between the top and bottom layers of a leaf and quickly eat all the chlorophyll and by mid July all the leaves are brown. One way to look at it: what a neat little home. But I must admit I went to my local gardening expert who gave me “Sevin” that when properly applied on the trunk prevented them from getting into their summer homes. Sorry, little critters, to prevent your summer of gorging and propagating.
I’m glad you prevent their summer of gorging and propagating. It’s not like bees, who earn their keep by propagating, and rarely sting humans.
Hah hah! The 2015 mosquitoes in Crete are unbelievable and hunting in packs. My left arm is covered and the right-hand side of my back. I’ve never had it so bad!
Yikes, Sarah! Sorry bout that.
Love this poem, Cynthia! Supposedly mosquitoes are food for some birds, other insects and fish.
They can’t eat enough of them in my book! 😆
Yup — hooray for bug-eating birds and fish. Can we do a bit more to encourage them?
Let me know if you get an answer! 😉
Aren’t the mosquitoes horrendous this year? The result I suppose of all the rain. I have a great big raised mosquito bite on my neck. Grrr….
How are the mosquitoes this year?
Brilliant Cynthia! We live in the bulls-eye of West Nile Virus and it’s about the most unpleasant thing to deal with – we are very lucky not to have gotten the disease from the mosquito’s over the last couple of years. Yes, I wonder why we were blessed with the pesky flyers.
I noticed you said “blessed with…” Arggghhhh….
Not a comforting feeling around there this year, the west nile virus has already been detected in samples taken in surrounding communities. They are truly “pesky” this year. Hope you have a wonderful summer Cynthia!
Sorry to hear that, Mary. Not a good thing. Hope you will enjoy the summer, nonetheless.
Seems like the natural garden allies are failing to live up to their end of the bargain. My roses are covered in greenfly but the garden is full of tits and finches 😀 The swallows are working hard to get rid of the midges.
Your post made me smile Cynthia! Ah, I do wonder sometimes .. thankfully no Japanese beetle down our way 😀
Keep those Japanese beetles out! They’re awful little critters.
Nothing in the universe could ever make me love the Asian Tiger Mosquito, whose motto is apparantly “Bite everyone, everywhere, all the time” 😦
You made me laugh, with that motto!
Hear ye!
Thank ye!
This is great fun Cynthia though with a serious philosophical question! I can’t say I love all insects, but I do think they all have their purpose.
Someone said “the bats and birds eat the mosquitoes”. To which I asked: “Why can’t they eat other stuff?”
My husband would add to this list the wasteful chipmunks who take one bite out of the tomatoes and leave them to rot.
Hmmm.. I think I understand your husband’s feelings on this one too!
I loved this before and I love it again especially after having 36 pea plants that were just starting to form their little pods be devoured by voles in the 2 days I did not visit the garden!! UGH…they are testing my love!!!!!
Oh my gosh, Tina. That’s awful. Bad, bad, voles! I thought they only ate grass roots and bugs.
Oh no, they love those fresh young veggies!!
What a wise, witty and wonderful post Cynthia!
Thanks, Kate, for those 3-W’s. And that you didn’t add Wild and Wimpy too….
Ha, ha, I will bet my bugs beat your bugs.
You would! What kinda little beasties have you got?
Lubber Grasshoppers, orange and yellow with a hardshell body about 4″ long and Salt Marsh Mosquitoes, Ambrosia beetles, Citrus Psyllids. I haven’t seen any Japanese Beetles, though.
Oh, dear. I’m almost sorry I asked: you don’t need to be reminded of your wealth of beasties.
The grasshoppers are frightening. Maybe you want to hear about the poison shooting frogs?
No, I don’t!!!!! (tee hee…)
This was just as good the second time as it was the first. We seem to be having another banner year for mosquitos, even though it’s been very dry.
That’s true. Weird, eh?
Oh Cynthia, this was such a hoot. I needed a good chuckle this evening and asking God if some of the creatures weren’t a tiny bit uncouth put a grin on my face. As a gardener, I sympathize.
Glad it made you laugh! And thanks for the sympathy too.
Oh, one of my favorites! (the poem, not the bugs . . . )
I hear you!
Fun 🙂
Haha, God is testing us indeed 🙂
And I’m failing that test every time…..
Amen. Don’t forget ticks. And gnats.
Consider them added to the list, Lisa!
Wow, I know exactly how you feel! I often find myself torn between my belief that all life is sacred, and seemingly pesty insects… There is no easy answer!
This made me chuckle! I understand your feelings exactly – mosquitoes are the worst, but then I have to remember they are food for so many bats and birds. However when I am attacked by so many in the garden I don’t look so kindly on them! I am sorry you are plagued by Japanese Beetle – we don’t have them in Florida but I remember the damage they caused my flowers in North Carolina – so disheartening 😦
p.s please excuse me catching up – I have had so much going on recently with house construction and some travel that I have become seriously behind.
I’m honoured that you spent time visiting my blog, Kate. Thank you!!