If love hadn't made him clumsy
if he hadn't fallen forward
had never drowned
in his own perfection
What would he have thought
about his aging face
as it altered, year after year
season by season?
In the old conspiracy
between the eye
and it's reflection, love casts
a primal shadow
Perhaps he would blame
the wrinkling surface of the pool
for what he saw
or think the blemishes
On his once smooth
were simply small fish
just beneath the skin
of the water
2006-08-07 18:36:01 · 15 answers · asked by animallover435 2 in Arts & Humanities ➔ Books & Authors
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2006-08-07 18:41:31 · answer #1 · answered by adobeprincess 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
The mythical Narcissus rejected all lovers, then fell in love with his own reflection in a forest pool. One version, and the one in this poem, says that he drowned when he fell in while gazing at his reflection. This poem wonders on what would have happened had Narcissus lived long enough to see himself age in the reflection of the pool. Would he have accepted old age or blamed the water for the imperfections in his face and still see himself as when he fell in love.
2006-08-08 01:54:48 · answer #2 · answered by Dante 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Narcissus fell in love with himself, and the most common image of him is when he's staring into a pool and admiring him reflection. In this case, that's the same as you looking into your boyfriend's eyes.
He grew eventually grew older, but he still saw himself as how he was when he first fell in love with himself(love casts a primal shadow).
Instead, he would blame the wrinkling surface of the pool for his wrinkly appearance because he couldn't stop seeing himself as he used to be.
The poem is saying that Narcissus' skin was the same as the water that had fish swimming beneath its surface since that's what he looked at all the time.
2006-08-08 01:44:05 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
He died from drowning.
"if he hadn't fallen forward/had never drowned"
Narcissus, from Greek Mythology, was cursed after he scorned a nymph. He fell in love with his image in a pond, seeing it as the ultimate in perfection. He drowns from trying to kiss his image or dies from old age. He then turns into a flower that hangs over the water.
The poem is about how he would deny the picture of his love (himself) was changing because he was blinded by love.
2006-08-08 01:43:09 · answer #4 · answered by ? 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
He died from staring at his own reflection in the water so much that he drowned trying to get close to it. He is where the term "narcissistic" comes from....to be full of oneself. The most vain character in mythology.
2006-08-08 01:41:20 · answer #5 · answered by Aemilia753 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Narcissus fell in love with his reflection, fell in the water and drowned.
2006-08-08 01:40:48 · answer #6 · answered by Lothario 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
He was so focused on his vanity that he didn't notice himself falling into the reflection on the water. He drowned. He was afraid of aging because then he wouldn't be aesthetically attractive.
2006-08-08 01:42:34 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
He fell in love with his reflection and drowned. It's pretty obvious
2006-08-08 02:00:16 · answer #8 · answered by Tiffy Triangles 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
he fell in love with himself, and couldn't take his eyes off of himslef and well when you can't leave yourself for basic things like eating, drinking stuff like that you're screwed, as a side note Echo was in love with him too but she could only repeat the things that peopel said and so as he died so did she
2006-08-08 01:47:31 · answer #9 · answered by The One and Only 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
FYI: Also where we get the name for the daffodil-like flower "Narcissus" aka "paperwhites"
2006-08-08 01:55:25 · answer #10 · answered by jagfanantic 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋