Echo
The lonely Echo lives in caves,
doomed to repeat her voice.
How sad it is she cannot speak,
but this was not by choice.
Once long ago in wooded hills,
gods cursed her chatty tongue
so she could only say again
words spoken or those sung.
She fell in love with Narcissus;
a love he would deny,
for she could only parallel
his words as her reply.
He denounced the woodland beauty.
She cursed his naked soul.
Now he could only love himself
and never hearts he stole.
From that time on she hid herself
in deep sequestered dells.
Her fading form has turned to rock.
Her voice is all that dwells.
If you hear the ghost of Echo,
the phantom of the air
and your last words repeat themselves,
you've found the maiden's lair!
Copyright © Celeste Butler-Mendez | Year Posted 2008
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