Continuous Integument

If poetry can be what’s left
After the story has been lost,
It begs the question—does story

Change the world to make poetry
Possible, or was poetry
There prior to story as well?

Think of the hours you used to spend
Eating lunches alone, outdoors
At the Irrigated Cafe,

Reading stories beside your plate
Before turning to compose poems—
Did the tales enable the verse?

Were stories more stillsuits or cauls?
Neither. They’re never lost at all.