In hidden corners, quiet yet bold, Listeria waits, its tale untold. Through unwashed hands and food not pure, It creeps to find its next unsure.
Soft cheeses, meats, and fish that’s smoked, With unseen danger finely cloaked. A sip of milk not safely stored, Brings risks that can’t be long ignored.
For healthy hearts, the signs are slight, A fever’s warmth, a fleeting fight. But in the frail, it takes its hold, A menace strong, a threat so cold.
Pregnant mothers fear its bite, For unborn lives may lose the fight. In newborns small and elders weak, The path it carves is dark and bleak.
Meningitis grips the mind, Septic blood, the veins entwined. And in the womb, it quietly steals, A dream undone, a grief that heals.
Yet in this battle, hope’s not lost, A careful watch, a careful cost. Blood tests tell the tale it hides, And antibiotics turn the tides.
So heed the warning, guard your plate, For food unclean may seal a fate. Wash your hands and cook with care, For Listeria’s shadow lingers there.
