Echoes & Reflections

This poem was first published in Clamor in 2024 under a previous pen name.

This poem revisits Echo and Narcissus with a focus on awareness and redemption rather than the usual cautionary approach. In the old story, Echo loses her voice to Juno and Narcissus loses himself to a reflection shaped by divine whim. Both are caught in a cosmos ruled by mercurial gods who twist the fates of mortals for their own amusement.
Here, the attention shifts to what might emerge if etiquette, compassion, and understanding took root instead. The damp leaves, the Dryad laughter that ripples through the foliage, and the still lagoon create a setting where both characters can see beyond their burdens. Echo regains her voice and Narcissus discovers a regard for others hidden beneath the surface of his myth.
This version lets them step away from the pit of eternal doom and glimpse a moment of shared clarity. It highlights their humanity, their longing for something gentler, and the possibility that even figures shaped by tragedy can find a spark of connection when the kosmos pauses its cruelty.