NARCISSUS

Not every boy who desires fame gets it the way he wants.

Not every flower, leaning vainly toward his own face

reflected in a murky puddle, gets to meditate upon himself

more than a few transitory days, before he, too, molders.

You should have stayed wild in some valley town

if that’s the life you wanted. You can’t have it now.

Too many people know you as the affable but obvious

mussy downtown hussy. Blown limp by any passing wind.