experimentalists

legumes and ship-worms host archaean genes
a mobile larder when the table's bare
a miracle of nano-tech machines
that fix dinitrogen out of thin air
and other molluscs photosynthesize
at least their symbiotes pull off the stunt
the giant clams use light, 'though they lack eyes
as sessile farmers, they don't have to hunt
but octopus do other chemistry
converting tryptophan to night-hued ink
evolving big brains independently
the sole invertebrate that's learned to think
protean molluscs staked out ev'ry niche
their boneless forms incomparably rich