Narcissus

narcisus3

He buttoned up his leaf jacket

soaked his shoes in brine

laced them up with marigolds

snatched a hat of sundrenched hay

sprinkled it with buttercups

broke a branch from the willow tree

strode along the track spread out by the moon

to a pool on the edge of the field.

He stared down into its mirror sheen

saw stars shifting – Pegasus leaping,

wielded his stick, stirred them all up

undid the sky, saw himself undone

marigolds scattering, clusters of brilliance

stars fleeing like him to another world.