"Self-portrait in a Convex Mirror" is a long free-verse narrative-style poem that is a commentary of the painting of the same name by an Italian artist Parmigianino. The poet begins by commenting on the artist's posture reflected in the mirror: the hand that is bigger than the head, the coral ring on the small finger and the fur coat.
The poem then turns to the description of the convex mirror which doesn't portray the actual, but distorted reality. This turns into a metaphysical discussion of one's soul that is captured in the face and the dream-like state of the captured moment on the painting which will stay unchanged forever.
The poet goes on to describe the room behind the artist, the contrast of the darkness and intruding light through the window. He comments about how Parmigianino had a lot of intruders while painting the portrait and how this leads to an insincere portrayal of his true self.
Furthering his commentary on the portrait, the poet merges metaphysical contemplation of universe, time, past and present, death and reality with it.
Ashbery concludes the poem by suggesting to the artist in the portrait to withdraw his hand and not offer it as "a shield of greeting" and ends it with suggestion of merging dream with reality and claiming remembrance, "whispers out of time", as only provided tool of reality.
