Narcissus awakens to the rustling
of footsteps in the dry leaves on the bank.
He yawns and stretches, rolls over to the edge
to check out his reflection in the pond.
If someone is approaching, then he’s got to look his best.
Not that he cares what others think of him,
but he insists on looking stunning all the time.
Seeing that his timeless raging beauty
is as glorious as ever, he turns to greet his visitor.
Instantly, his happy morning mood is shot to hell.
“Oh, Ameinias, it’s you.
How many times do I have to tell you?
You bore the crap out of me. Go away.”
“But I brought you coffee and morning buns –
your favorites from La Farine Patisserie.
Please, can’t I sit down?”
“No you can’t sit down, you panting canine fuckup.
Take your bony ass outta here.
But leave the coffee and buns.”
“Narcissus, why do you hate me so?
All I have for you is love.”
“I don’t hate you, per se, I just don’t give a fuck.
If I told you once, I told you a thousand times…
I want to be alone!”
Ameinias hands him the coffee and the buns
and bursting into tears he turns away.
Narcissus watches Ameinias slink away into the wood.
“Hollow Apollo! What a loser!
I really need a ME fix after that.”
He kneels and gazes into his mirror pond
and breathes a lover’s sigh.
“Oh, my precious! My gorgeous, beautiful me!
I love your curly hair of gold.
I love your shiny eyes of brown.
Your supple lips so full and
OH—that adorable cleft in your chin.
God damn it baby, you’re a looker!”
He sits and pulls a bun out of the bag and takes a bite.
“Stale, as expected.”
He pops the plastic lid off the paper coffee cup.
“And of course that stupid queen forgot the cream.”
He goes back to gazing in his glassy mirror pond.
While he admires his pretty button nose and delicate shell-like ears,
Nymph Echo’s face appears beside his own.
“Who are you?”
“Who are you?”
“I asked you first.”
“I asked you first.”
“What do you want?”
“What do you want?”
“Stop doing that!”
“Stop doing that!”
He looks over his shoulder and comes face-to-face
with Echo where she’s kneeling on the grass.
He screams:
“Who the hell are you?”
“Who the hell are you?”
Echo takes him in her arms and shuts his mouth up
with wet and sloppy kiss.
He pulls away and slaps her face.
“How dare you? No one ever does that to me!”
“How dare you? No one ever does…
How dare you?… dare you?… No one ever…”
Her voice echoes in the wood. She fades and disappears.
“Right then. So. That was a bloody waste of time, wasn’t it?”
Narcissus goes back to gazing at himself in the pond.
“Ah, there you are, my precious.
Never fear, my heart.
No one will ever take my love away from you.
After all, You and I… Wait.
What the fuck?
Is that a zit?
By Apollo’s fetid sack, you have a zit.
Get outta here, bitch!
I don’t ever want to see you again!
“Ameinias! Ameinias!
Darling, are you there? Whatta ya say, babe?
Wanna get lunch?”
E J Barron
E J Barron 