Icarus
the answer is
not the history
of flight but
a question of
wings a notion
born of desperation
and fright each
quill ruffled by
the delicate tongue
of air can
only reflect this
fortune a dream
but never a
tragedy the gift
of gravity’s denial
Written probably in 1985 or 1986, this is the first poem I titled “Icarus.” It’s fun to unearth these old pieces.
O at the Edges 
Hey Robert nice and simple poem, love it. I too agree with the bringing up of the old parchments, it’s good to look back upon them.
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Thanks, Guy! Life has changed, but the poetry keeps rolling on.
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We all change Robert, we evolve, we adapt, we relearn and we move on – and like a good bottle of wine, we mature and wizen and so do our words. Keep well, keep safe.
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Yes, I wouldn’t want to be that same person after all these years. Couldn’t be.
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Ditto 🙂
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Nice post. Love the pic too
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Thanks, Joseph. The photos are from morguefile.com.
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Initially your style was no punctuation?
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No, I was experimenting with this series – wrote maybe 20 poems in this vein.
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I love this style of poem. It lets the reader fill in, and can evoke different things to different people, and even to the same person at different times.
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It’s suited for philosophical musings and such, in that sufficient gaps exist to encourage readers to explore.
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You do have a way with that.
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Gaps in my synapses probably account for that. 🙂
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Not that I need an answer, but curiosity nudges the asking – were you able to let this be exactly as left in mid80s? I find myself tweaking anything I go back to after several years – guessing it’s because I have changed in the meantime (poetically maybe, but more a shifting in perspectives.)
How many Okaji Icarus poems are there? A chapbook’s worth? Would be fun to peruse a collection!
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Yes, this is as it was written lo those many years ago. I’m not sure how many of my poems the figure of Icarus appears in, or at the very least inspired. I’ve titled two or three (one’s been published, this one, and one I can’t find) “Icarus” because it seemed appropriate. I’ll try to refrain from doing so in the future, but no promises. 🙂
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Icarus’ flight has been an influence for me since my teens. The idea of drawing too close to the flame is the attraction.
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The myth is too attractive to not use!
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Ah the gift of gravity’s denial. The stuff of dreams and broken bones. I received my beautiful copy of your chapboom btw- thanks! I look forward to reading soon 😊
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Oh, yes. Gravity got me again a couple of months ago. I still feel it’s nasty grip. And yay! I’m so pleased it finally arrived.
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I hope you’re okay now! It arrived weeks ago but I didn’t get around to telling you.
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Still a little sore, but otherwise okay. That’s what I get for being clumsy.
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It’s surprising who we were…but then it’s also surprising who we are…(K)
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A truth if ever there was!
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Rolling back time,
hell! Are you, out of your mind?
Maybe fixing mistakes, then you won’t be whom you are?
But memories are always great to liv…
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I think I’ll try to avoid rolling back time.
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Ok…
Funny thought, i was wonder did i go through saturday twis or three times?
They lov hearing this shit, works well with amount of time they’ve strapped me to a bed…
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I dunno. Once is enough for me.
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You’re telling me…
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I love the concept of “notions born of desperation!” The way innovation! Up up and away!
Great poem Robert.
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Thanks, Dwight. Desperation can be a good thing. 😬
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Yes!
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Nice – a delicate description.
Talk about serendipitous, here’s me thinking about examples where writers use historical references in their writing and you post a poem that demonstrates it. Would you mind if I use it in a class this week?
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Thank you. I’d be honored if you used it in class!
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Lovely, thank you.
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I love the lightness.
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Thank you!
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*sigh* beautiful, beautiful, beautiful!
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Thank you, Carrie!
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Ah, “Icarus”. The very word is ‘poetic’, is it not? I want to thank you for posting so many times over the years, to my poetry site. You have excellent good taste! Happy New Year!
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It is indeed! Yes, Happy New Year!
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icarius is a favourite – i have a painting (sopy) of him descended held by beautiful nude nymphs in water which i enjoy. Icarius too is beautiful and faint or lifeless if so what a tragedy for one so lovely who tried to fly. many times i have had a dream of flying and it was wonderful. If we can fly in our dreams we should be able to do it in reality too. Birds and insects do so why not we at least in our imagination.
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I never fly in dreams, but I often hover. I wonder why that is…
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