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The Conjugation of the Paramecium
by Muriel Rukeyser

This has nothing
to do with
propagating

The species
is continued
as so many are
(among the smaller creatures)
by fission

(and this species
is very small
next in order to
the amoeba, the beginning one)

The paramecium
achieves, then,
immortality
by dividing

But when
the paramecium
desires renewal
strength another joy
this is what
the paramecium does:

The paramecium
lies down beside
another paramecium

Slowly inexplicably
the exchange
takes place
in which
some bits
of the nucleus of each
are exchanged

for some bits
of the nucleus
of the other

This is called
the conjugation of the paramecium.

Comments

  1. LydiaDecember 16, 2008 at 1:54 AM

    That's quite astonishing and very beautiful!

    ReplyDelete
  2. chardloverDecember 16, 2008 at 7:02 AM

    Shiny,
    Beautiful photo! Lovely collection of thoughts on your blog...

    ReplyDelete
  3. UnknownDecember 16, 2008 at 10:18 AM

    Thank you Lydia and Chardie. I love the idea behind this poem, just gaining strength by a physical closeness. So true in the "higher" life forms, yet so basic.

    Odd to be on the computer these days without an order form on the screen:>)

    ReplyDelete
  4. AnonymousDecember 16, 2008 at 7:48 PM

    Lovely poem and that photo is stunning!

    ReplyDelete
  5. naomi dagen bloomDecember 17, 2008 at 1:28 PM

    The joining of the paramecium and Rukeyser's poem is perfect! Who would have thought?

    ReplyDelete
  6. AnonymousDecember 18, 2008 at 8:03 PM

    Oh, and once we exchange nuclei, we are never apart from another. The two become one flesh. And oh, we become one soul too and carry each other long after we drift apart.

    ReplyDelete

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Hey, thanks for your thoughts and your time:>)

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