Buddy the Gourd!

A Poem for Bacteria

A friend and I are discussing the newest virus that is threatening
to take over the world, as they say, become pandemic
I say, "If people hadn't been using all these anti-bacterial agents to clean their kitchen
counters and their doorknobs, taking penicillin at the slightest sign
of a cold -- things like this wouldn't happen!"

My friend reminds me that it's a virus so really none of those things affect it
Oh, but somehow I am reminded of a study I just read about in the newspaper
Bacteria can communicate, even though they have just one cell,
I could never understand that, how can they do anything with only one cell,
but they make plans of attack together, deciding to reproduce at the most
opportune moments to insure their continuation
The bacteria want to live!
All of these viruses and little celled things, they have a plan and they want to live!

I'm reminded of my feelings about bugs
How I'm always a little surprised when I squash a bug that's got into my house
how they run away, they want to live
I imagine them, just a bug, sitting on the wall,
what do they care, would I care if I was a bug,
what kind of life do I have anyway?
But no, the bugs want to live!

My friend says yes, the bugs and the one celled viruses they want to live but
do they create art and music, they aren't really like us --
How do we know that?!
We had no idea they communicated, perhaps they are creating
great works of art that we cannot even appreciate or imagine
Perhaps the bug in my living room who is running away along the wall
to escape my grasp is screaming,
"I've got to finish my poem!"

 
Note: this poem was discovered by Buddy on a very small piece of paper