Village-in-a-Dish

This remarkable community of cells

calls to mind, in its harmonious serenity, 

an American housing development of the late-fifties:

the quiet suburban lanes, the orderly rows of newly planted trees, 

the identical houses, differentiated only by numbered mailboxes 

sitting like sentries at the sidewalk’s edge. 

One can imagine each little cellular house 

with its own backyard grill, 

each chef in “Kiss the Cook” apron 

wielding spatula and fork, 

blinking at the smoke and fire, 

while golden tones of Frank Sinatra 

drift from the radio on the fragrant air.

And as evening comes, perhaps as lights in the lab 

are turned down low, there’s quiet conversation, 

and one last drink while sitting before the embers 

of the charcoal fires.

Little village, working together so tirelessly, so selflessly 

on behalf of humankind, we thank you for your service, 

and wish you soft rains to nourish emerald-green lawns 

that will never know a blade of crabgrass.

Charles Coe

Michael Wells, who creates communities of stem cells in petri dishes in order to research causes of certain congenital brain disorders.