Some of my ancestors, I’m told,
[.poemindent] were fish.[.poemindent]
I have no pictures,
[.poemindent] no other details.[.poemindent]
That was a very long time ago.

And now, I’ve heard,
[.poemindent] An enormous community of microbes[.poemindent]
[.poemindent] has taken up residence within.[.poemindent]
[.poemindent] Ten thousand different types![.poemindent]
[.poemindent] A hundred trillion creatures.[.poemindent]
[.poemindent] It appears that I need these travel companions,[.poemindent]
[.poemindentmore] And they need me.[.poemindentmore]

Cogito ergo sum.
[.poemindent] Oh yes. But isn’t there something more?[.poemindent]
[.poemindent] The boundaries of thought shift yet again: [.poemindent]
[.poemindentmore] “God,” / “life,” / “me.” [.poemindentmore]

[.smalltext]For an extensive discussion, see The Human Microbiome: Ethical, Legal and Social Concerns edited by Rosamond Rhodes, Nada Gligorov, Abraham Paul Schwab.[.smalltext]

[.smalltext]Dr. William Luther White (1931-2015) is the author of The Image of Man in C. S. Lewis as well as many articles relating to religion and culture. He served thirty-three years as chaplain at Illinois Wesleyan University.[.smalltext]

[.smalltext]Photo: NIAID
[.smalltext]