November 6th, 2017

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Art credit: Lament for Icarus by Herbert James Draper, 1898 (public domain)

Icarus (Lone Feather)

Icarus
I believed in You;
Find me a way to the Sun! Soar
The maelstrom world below us;
Trees, mountains, drapes of snow.
Desert Rose and Hippo, Jaguar, Hyssop and Sage;
Insect blooms and lily pads;
Eyes glisten grateful tears.
My Icarus beams beneath pearl wings,
Son of the Blistering Sun.

O mountains melt - 
Oceans swirl, wayward wings wither and writhe. Precious Icarus,
No longer hold you; Your
Body's wrenched from me.
Sob shaking and salt-spitting the torrid, Ravenous Sea.
Soaked and flailing, sea-legs limping, 
Icarus,
Where did you go from me?

So wild and fertile, feral and rabid, I
Circle the graves of the Sun.
Free with the Wolves, Deer and Cougar, with
Wild Dogs, I run!
Goddess gaze, mossy caves, pebble glades
Now detained by Artemis, the Brave.
Her eyes pierce pungent, sleepy tears,
Delicate wash of curls.
Rosy face in silent sobs, I tremble - 
Tell of You.

We
Lovers spent and dreamy,
Arms, legs entwined and bare. Now
Far away, the sound of You - 
Shivering breathless prayer. Far away,
Brisk thoughts of You glimmer, quake, impale. Far away,
Mind sharp and sure, keen as the Darkening Sea.
Far away bred endless night; You - 
Fallen from the Sky!

Icarus,
Love, fly close to the Sun. 
Piece every woven feather.
Tell of thick, quicksilver arms, Your
Golden, lacy smile.
Barren teeth clench roaring winds in
Vivid, flaming Light! Never dark between us
Only brilliant Lover's Delight!

Last tender touch - 
A fiery blast rips golden locks of hair; And
Fretful gasp; Eyes far gone. Whispers, tearing hands. 
Burnt fingers twirled in loving You,
Voice lost in white-capped squall. So
Flailing screams and frigid dreams, my
Golden lover drown. Seems 
Pigeon, Grouse, Raven, Dove; my
Golden flyer gone!

Lone feather whips in silent pact. Night's
Story shall be told. Heaven broken, eyes cracked open;
Feathers dip and mourn.
Silence moves gruff fortitude into lonesome melody. 
Icarus, 
Mine,
Roar frothy song, my
Golden lover gone.
Lone feather dripping dolefully, still
Curled inside my palm.

JFH (c) 11.1.2017 [Rev. 11.6.2017]