Glose

Ages ago I wrote an unrhymed villanelle in which the repeating lines were taken from a book by Mary Oliver. Later it was suggested that it might be considered a glose. Is it? Isn't it? I'm still not quite sure but offer it to show possibilities:

Narrative is at the heart of all literature
With its beginnings and middles and ends
No one writes epic poems now

The postman delivers the day's hand of literature
A doormat of adverts and unpaid bills
Narrative is at the centre of all literature

There's a leaflet about a new restaurant
A gas bill, a phone bill, a postcard from France
No one writes epic poems now

I wave to my neighbour. "What's new today?"
"Here's that recipe for Ellie's cake!"
Narrative is at the centre of all literature

A torn poster across the road repeats
The TV jingle the blond actress sings.
No one writes epic poems now

"The writing is on the wall," says the Times
As I skim through the headlines and obits.
Narrative is at the centre of all literature *
No one writes epic poems now *

• lines taken from "A Poetry Handbook" p 83 by Mary Oliver