Teeth Outside of the Body

That’s how one paleoanthropologist
Describes early stone tools, and the metaphor
Holds its cutting edge down to the present day.

But not teeth only. Language made memories
Outside of the body. Symbols and writing
Made populations outside of the body.

The latest fun is with making thoughts themselves
Outside of the body, as well as making
Outside-of-the-body experiences.

The body, of course, still trundles along, aches,
Hungers, blood and all. The extracorpsical
Teeth, tongues, muscles, thoughts, and experiences

Haven’t yet gotten together to figure
Out how to get on with things without body,
But we’re chewing on it. We’re chewing on it.