When We’re Sixty Four (Thousand)

From the E. coli in the LTEE to the People of the Lab

[To be sung along to this Beatles classic]

 

When we get older, losing our fimbriae,

Many years from now,

Will you still be sending us our thiamine,

Birthday greetings, Erlenmeyer wine?

If we were mutants, crazy and fit,

Would that make you snore?

Will you still feed us, will you still freeze us,

When we’re sixty-four?

 

You’ll be older too,

And if you say the word,

We’ll evolve with you.

 

We could be handy, helping your pubs,

When your grants are gone.

You can write a paper by the fireside,

Weekend days give no time to hide.

Colonies growing, dotting the plates,

Who could ask for more?

Will you still feed us, will you still freeze us,

When we’re sixty-four?

 

Every summer you can buy a freezer when the space gets tight,

If it’s not too dear.

Save our clonal mix,

Plus and minus progeny,

Ara One to Six.

 

Keeping the notebook, pipetting each drop,

Track trajectories.

Indicate precisely what you think will change.

Hypothesize, test, unlimited range.

Give us your data, sequence and store,

Evolving evermore.

Will you still feed us, will you still freeze us,

When we’re sixty-four?