Narcissus
They say that when greeted
by his fair reflection,
Narcissus toppled
into the water
trying to kiss himself…
That his body rotted
at the bottom of the river -
his once-perfect skin
turning greenish and pruned
as the fish picked at
his indigo eyes…
That the Gods all threw
their heads back with laughter
once his legacy was damned
to a riverbank flower
and personality disorder…
But what if Narcissus’ reflection
was distorted
by the water's ripples -
his face elongated,
his features twisted?
What if, believing
he was grotesque and unloveable,
he willingly plunged
to his riverbed demise?
What if we now
confuse his dysmorphia
for narcissism,
and the Gods lied when they told us
vanity is deadlier
than self-loathing?
~
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Posted Jan 29, 2022, 6:14 PM UTC · edited