DNA<\/p>\n
At hand: the rounded shapes\u2014cloud white, the scissors\u2014sharp,
\ntwo dozen toothpick pegs, a vial of amber glue.
\nIt’s February, London, 1953,
\nand he’s at play, James Watson: the cardboard shapes,<\/p>\n
two dozen toothpick pegs, a vial of amber glue.
\nWhite hexagons, pentagons, peg-pierced at the corners\u2014
\nhe’s at play, James Watson, turning cardboard shapes
\nthis way, that. And where is the star-shot elegance<\/p>\n
when hexagons, pentagons, peg-pierced at the corners,
\nslip into their pliant, spiral-flung alignments?
\nWhere is that star-shot elegance? This way? That?
\nHe slips together lines of slender pegs that quickly<\/p>\n
split in two. (Pliant, spiral-flung, one line meant
\nsolitude. But one to one? Pristine redundancy.)
\nHe slips. Together, lines of slender pegs quickly
\nconjugate. White hexagons, white pentagons:<\/p>\n
not solitude but\u2014one, two, one\u2014pristine redundancy.
\nSo close the spiral shape, now. Salt and sugar atoms
\ncongregate: white hexagons, white pentagons.
\nSo close the bud, the egg, the laboratory lamb,<\/p>\n
the salt and sugar atoms’ spiral shape. So close\u2014
\nit’s February, London, 1953\u2014
\nthe blossom, egg, the salutary lamb. So close
\nat hand, the rounded shapes\u2014cloud white, the scissors\u2014sharp.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
“DNA” is reprinted from Virginia Quarterly Review<\/em><\/a> and\u00a0First Hand<\/em><\/a> (G. P. Putnam and Sons, 2005).<\/p>\n