An Ode to a Bacterium

Hey Bacterium!

Why don’t you and your friends make like bees and buzz off?

You think you’re so clever, making me cough?

Make my nose runny; make my throat scratch;

Just wait ’til I get some penicillin down the hatch!

And if it should happen that you’re somewhat resistant,

I have vancomycin, which I’ll use in an instant.

Gram positive, Gram negative how do you stain?

“Curse’d microbiologists!!” you shall exclaim.

“How is it possible that they have found the solution,

To millions of years of recombination and evolution?!”

Thank some of our best, from Fleming to Jenner,

For making it possible for sick people to get better.