Streaming Poem by Edward Nudelman

I was splicing a nucleotide
when Thayer walked in with
visitors perusing the lab
for bells and whistles.
Following laboratory etiquette
I never looked up and they passed
without interaction.
One requires only concentration
and a steady hand to do this work.
Or dogged determinism built
on the premise of luck.Either
way, I'm going on momentum
and the lure of giddy surprise.
I'm in a biochemical sweep
across an unchartered cosmos.
I'm air, water, fire and spirit.
I can't hear the pump whine.
I can't feel my tired feet.
I can't even imagine failure.