The looker and the looked upon
Seeing and being seen changes both the looker and the looked upon. A watched clock seems to hold its breath, hands frozen, its self-consciousness exposed. A furtive glance, once stolen, lingers too long and ripens into a stare. Awareness slips into self-consciousness. The moment the watched one feels observed and the looker looks away, the game is up, and the power changes. The watched one now has control with their stare, commanding the field of attention. It's a see-saw game of self-consciousness; power flipping with each returned look. Every watching eye casts a shadow. It's a silhouette of exposure. It must acknowledge this, step into it, and learn to dwell within, hiding. The eye sometimes seeks to be noticed. It wants to evoke a reaction and show its presence, rebounding. In that mutual eye-to-eye recognition, love begins.
when eyes meet and hold,
attention flips from lost stares—
to love caught ensnared
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