Clap the Glad Wing

To have been, in any sense,
In the least way, alive
Is to become immortal.
The fragment infecting
The virus infecting
The bacterium being
Gobbled by the bacteriophage

In the guts of one small
Molluscan, say, or arthropod,
Has been counted and blessed
And will forever spin molecular
Pattern past the gates of heaven,
And all the viruses and bacteria,
All the mollusks and arthropods

Will have their happy eternity
As well. In that case, all
Really shall be well and all
Manner of thing shall be well.
Otherwise, no. No goodness
To a scheme confined to bipeds,
Even if every biped were saved.