Icarus... retold

Daedalus and Icarus,

father and son,

longed to be free

from their island prison.

Daedalus said, "Icarus,

here's what we will do.

We'll fashion wings from feathers

and wax and branches, too."

So Daedalus and Icarus

persisted night and day

to fabricate wings of hope

to carry them far away.

Now Daedalus warned Icarus,

"Don't fly too near the sun,

or all our months of labor

will find us soon undone."

Then Daedalus and Icarus,

befeathered father and son,

began the slow ascent

on their day of freedom.

Daedalus and Icarus

soared on waxen wings

and flew above the boundaries

of lowly, earthly things.

Daedalus and Icarus

winged flight from prison sought.

But Icarus, as he went up,

his father's words forgot.

Daedalus cried, "Icarus,

the sun's rays are too hot!"

But Icarus was far away

and heard his father not.

Then Daedalus saw Icarus

fly too close to the sun

and saw his heart's joy fall to earth,

his mortal wings undone.

Daedalus mourned Icarus,

his own beloved son,

"Your freedom was cut short today

before it had begun."