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The Missouri Review

Poetry | March 02, 2021

Poems: John Gallaher

John Gallaher

Division (Architecture 5)

Let’s watch the process one more time. During the first stage of mitosis,

prophase, we see the classic chromosome structure. Notice the DNA

condensing. Outside, my neighbor is watering the new tree

they planted to replace the one they had to remove, and in both her and the tree,

microtubules are appearing and the nuclear membrane is breaking down.

So many places to go wrong: metaphase, when the chromosomes are aligned

at the center of the cell, or anaphase, as the chromosomes are moving apart.

Telophase is then marked by the appearance of new nuclear membranes.

And this is the end of mitosis. About 80 minutes, and two new cells

are ready to grow and perform their specialized functions.

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