Beneath the stillness of a glassy pool,
A face shines bright—a stranger’s jewel.
Drawn by a beauty strange yet known,
Narcissus bends to find his own.

A fleeting vision, a trick of light,
Becomes his world, his heart’s delight.
No voice, no hand, no whispered plea
Can pull him from his reverie.

The surface smooth, so pure, so clear,
Reflects his face, holds him near.
But touch the water, and ripples break—
The self he loves begins to shake.

Bound to the pool, he fades away,
Locked in the gaze he dare not sway.
In loving the mask, he lost the soul;
The hollow pool now takes its toll.

To you, seeker of the spirit bright:
Beware the trap of endless sight.
For mirrors lie, and shadows cling
To empty forms, to fleeting things.

In seeking Self, beware the snare
Of finding a face and stopping there.
True beauty lives beyond the frame,
In formless joy, in the nameless name.

Step back, step wide, dissolve the gaze;
Walk past the glass, and through the haze.
The truth you seek is vast and deep,
Beyond what eyes alone can keep.

Let go the image, the name, the lore—
And find yourself at the boundless shore.

inspired by Paul P