Rory Sullivan, June 2018
This is a story about sacrifice,
The wounded body recognizing not-self
The necessity of defense against invaders
From the outside world
In the time of a blink,
Receptors bind chemokines,
Call neutrophils from the blood –
The most noble of cellular warriors.
So fervent in battle that they consume enemies whole,
Though in the frenzy the heroic neutrophil too must lay down
His sword to preserve the veined, thumping integrity of life
Leaving lacerated skin weeping cellular debris in solidarity
The valiant neutrophil has not parted with life in vain –
When the infection has passed, the body is whole again.
Narravitas 