tiresias

Giulio Carpioni, The Nymph Liropi Brings her son Narcissus to Tiresias

(Sapphic verse, for E.)

Then the prophet said to me, “man, you sighted,

lost and longing thing (as a child or old sheep)--

you're a damn fool thing (to the last of your kind),

deaf to all prompting,

that in endless hours ever wasted (stark nude)

with the thoughts you thought to be yours, all private,

(just all quiet, like no (no) eye dilated

could ever see 'em)

has so missed (sighted and eyes possessing!)

that you, yes, are just a moment in which this,

this all that surrounds is become aware (like...

known) of itself! Hm?

Then...exactly how aware?”