To A Friend Whose Work Has Come To Triumph
Consider Icarus, pasting those sticky wintgs on,
testing that strange little tug at his shoulder blade,
and think of that first flawless moment over the lawn
of the labyrinth. Think of the difference it made!
There below are the trees, as awkward as camels;
and here are the shocked starlings pumping past
and think of innocent Icarus who is doing quite well:
larger than a sail, over the fog and the blast
of the plushy ocean, he goes. Admire his wings!
Feel the fire at his neck and see how casually
he glances up and is caught, wondrously tunneling
into that hot eye. Who cares that feel back to the sea?
See him acclaiming the sun and come plunging down
while his sensible daddy goes straight into town.
poem by Anne Sexton
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
Related quotes
Icarus Fell
Icarus tried to feel wonderful,
He could try at least to fly,
But instigators of happiness were beautiful.
Instead of flight, the tragic became
A comical effect as he flew
And wings were aflutter and warm.
Near the ocean, his Sun was against him,
For dripping was the oil into ocean,
And diving was the maniac, all numb.
Icarus is still aiming for life,
But he sighs and he drowns,
With water as his foe and wife.
poem by Naveed Akram
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
When Icarus Did Fall
When Icarus did fall
his wings were scorched,
when Icarus did fall
a bolt of lightning did strike him
in the sea near to a island,
to help him there were nobody
when Icarus did fall
poem by Gert Strydom
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
The Icarus Of Housewives, Circa 1981
From ashtrays he rises
when birds in backyards
have been fed their seed,
a dove amid the starlings.
In smoke filled stupor we stare.
Icarus climbs our stairs,
waves his muscled arms
in doorways mimicking
the starlings in stocking feet.
He feels his way blindly
down hallways, a whirlwind
of feathers trailing behind.
And one day like any other day,
bedroom windows open,
he is gone into the sun to
make his movements golden,
to steel his flight a monument
of silver in the sky over Cleveland,
over Chicago, the Dakota plains.
And we are still reeling.
Come back.
Come back, Icarus.
Plead our case to the sun
but do not fly too close.
And it is a day like any other day
we lose him to a solar flare.
All our litigation cannot raise him up again,
our curtains closed in protest to the sun.
poem by Warren Falcon
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
the recent fall of Icarus
i was busy talking to you
about poetry and too sad
we did not bother listening
to the recent fall of Icarus
what i heard later was that
Icarus did not die
He is alive and so thankful
of his melted wax wings
the radar did not detect him
and so here he is knocking
at my door
asking for a little time
to be with us in this
safe house
it was his father who was shot
because he was
shouting.
poem by Ric S. Bastasa
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
Landscape With The Fall Of Icarus
According to Brueghel
when Icarus fell
it was spring
a farmer was ploughing
his field
the whole pageantry
of the year was
awake tingling
near
the edge of the sea
concerned
with itself
sweating in the sun
that melted
the wings' wax
unsignificantly
off the coast
there was
a splash quite unnoticed
this was
Icarus drowning
poem by William Carlos Williams
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
Run
I love the feel of it
That way I feel more alive
As if everything is right
I'm only focused on one goal
I need to get as far away as I can
Like I'm fleeing from something or someone
And I probably am
The wind is blowing fast
My hair is blowing past
I can feel my lungs expand
With each step
Each breath
Blood is pumping through my veins
I finally feel that moment
When my lungs are on fire
About to explode
When I'm at my maximum
My limit
I try to hold it there
But eventually I slow to a stop
My lungs are still pumping
And I'm still breathing hard
Reality has come back
I want to feel alive again
But I know
There's more to life than running
poem by Autumn Winds
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
Daedalus And Icarus
Daedalus says:
Go on sonny but remember that you are walking and not flying
the wings are just an ornament and you are stepping on a meadow
that warm gust is just the humid earth of summer
and that cold one is a brook
the sky is full of leaves and small animals
Icarus says:
The eyes like two stones return straight to earth
and see a farmer who knocks asunder oily till
a grub which wiggles in a furrow
bad grub which cuts the bond of a plant with the earth
Daedalus says:
Sonny this is not true The Cosmos is merely light
and earth is a bowl of shadows Look as here colors play
dust rises from above the sea smoke rises to the sky
of noblest atoms a rainbow sets itself now
Icarus says:
Arms hurt father from this beating at vacuum
legs are getting numb and miss thorns and sharp stones
I cannot keep looking at the sun as you do father
I sunken whole in the dark rays of the earth
Description of the catastrophe:
Now Icarus falls down head first
the last frame of him is a glimpse of a heal childlike small
being swallowed by the devouring sea
Up above the father cries out the name
which no longer belongs to a neck or a head
but only to a remembrance
Commentary:
He was so young did not understand that wings are just a metaphor
a bit of wax and feathers and a contempt for the laws of gravitation
I cannot hold a body at an elevation of a great many feet
The essence of the matter is in having our hearts
which are coursed by heavy blood
fill with air
and this very thing Icarus did not want to accept
let us pray
poem by Zbigniew Herbert
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
Red Sails
Feel a bit roughed up, feel a bit frightened
Nearly pin it down some time
Red sail action wake up in the wrong town
Boy, I really get around
Thunder ocean
Thunder ocean
Red sails take me, make me sail along
Red sails, and a mast so tall
Red sail
Red sail
Do you remember we another person
Green and black and red and so scared
Graffiti on the wall kept us all in tune
Bringing us all back home
Red sails
Thunder ocean
Red sails
Sailor cant dance like you, ooh, yooou
Ahh, red sail
Red sail action
Red sail
Some reaction
Action boy seen living under neon
Struggle with a foreign tongue
Red sails make him strong
Action make him sail along
Life stands still and stares
The hinterland, the hinterland
Were gonna sail to the hinterland
And its far far, far far far, far far far away
Its a far far, far far far, fa da, da da da
1
2
3-4
Ooooooo
song performed by by David Bowie
Submitted by Lucian Velea
Vote! | Copy!
When Poetry Haunted Me
Sudden was the descent of poetry on me
I tottered under its weight
My body heated up like the sun
A frying egg yolk on the pan
My blood started burning…. burning
A strange madness crept across my senses
Intoxicated as by an excess dose of ale
Or drunk with the vintage wine
Or by some mystical disengagement
I started levitating
Wings sprouted up suddenly on my sides
I reeled round and round
Flew up and up
Meteors flashed past
Stars blinked
Larger celestial bodies stood still
Strange sounds fleeted past my ears
My heart palpitated,
Like the rumblings of thunder
My eyes glowed like fire balls
A shout I heard afar
Over the heavens' mysterious rim,
Muffled though, I could decipher it;
'Welcome to the clan of poets'!
Around me, I saw multitudes of poets
Young and old, their faces blazing
Like a million lanterns lit
In that blinding brilliance
My filmy wings burnt outright!
Like Icarus, from the heights
I flopped down to the chasm below
In the scattered heap of flesh and bones
A faint stir …..
…………………..
The feeble flutter of a poetic heart
Before it was finally stilled! !
poem by Valsa George
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
Failing and Flying
Everyone forgets that Icarus also flew.
It's the same when love comes to an end,
or the marriage fails and people say
they knew it was a mistake, that everybody
said it would never work. That she was
old enough to know better. But anything
worth doing is worth doing badly.
Like being there by that summer ocean
on the other side of the island while
love was fading out of her, the stars
burning so extravagantly those nights that
anyone could tell you they would never last.
Every morning she was asleep in my bed
like a visitation, the gentleness in her
like antelope standing in the dawn mist.
Each afternoon I watched her coming back
through the hot stony field after swimming,
the sea light behind her and the huge sky
on the other side of that. Listened to her
while we ate lunch. How can they say
the marriage failed? Like the people who
came back from Provence (when it was Provence)
and said it was pretty but the food was greasy.
I believe Icarus was not failing as he fell,
but just coming to the end of his triumph.
poem by Jack Gilbert
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
Sail On Sailor
I sailed an ocean, unsettled ocean
Through restful waters and deep commotion
Often frightened, unenlightened
Sail on, sail on sailor
I wrest the waters, fight neptunes waters
Sail through the sorrows of lifes marauders
Unrepenting, often empty
Sail on, sail on sailor
Caught like a sewer rat alone but I sail
Bought like a crust of bread, but oh do I wail
Seldom stumble, never crumble
Try to tumble, lifes a rumble
Feel the stinging Ive been given
Never ending, unrelenting
Heartbreak searing, always fearing
Never caring, persevering
Sail on, sail on, sailor
I work the seaways, the gale-swept seaways
Past shipwrecked daughters of wicked waters
Uninspired, drenched and tired
Wail on, wail on, sailor
Always needing, even bleeding
Never feeding all my feelings
Damn the thunder, must I blunder
Theres no wonder all Im under
Stop the crying and the lying
And the sighing and my dying
Sail on, sail on sailor
Sail on, sail on sailor
Sail on, sail on sailor
Sail on, sail on sailor
Sail on, sail on sailor
Sail on, sail on sailor
Sail on, sail on sailor
song performed by by Beach Boys
Submitted by Lucian Velea
Vote! | Copy!
Another Shoulder At The Wheel
(gary burr/john jarrard)
There are times when the winds blow every word I cry back again
And it gets hard, hard as I try to find the strength to even survive
But when Ive done all I can do
I can always turn to you
Another shoulder at the wheel to see me through
When the road is long, and the tears are real
When Im past the poin of giving up
Theres nothing like the feel of another shoulder at the wheel
In my path theres stones I could never roll away alone
There are times when I wake and my knees will tremble and shake
But theres someone who cares
And when I need you, youll be there
Another shoulder at the wheel to see me through
When the road is long, and the tears are real
When Im past the poin of giving up
Theres nothing like the feel of another shoulder at the wheel
Another shoulder at the wheel to see me through
When the road is long, and the tears are real
When Im past the poin of giving up
Theres nothing like the feel of another shoulder at the wheel
Oh another shoulder at the wheel
song performed by by Jo Dee Messina
Submitted by Lucian Velea
Vote! | Copy!
Sail On Sailor
I sail an ocean, unsettled ocean
Through restless water, and deep commotion
Often frightened, unenlightened
Sail on, sail on sailor
I wrest the waters, fight Neptune's waters
Sail through the sorrows, of life's maurauders
Unrepenting, often empty
Sail on, sail on sailor
Caught like a sewer rat, alone but I see
Bought like a crust of bread, but oh do I wail
Seldom stumble, never crumble, try to tumble, life's a rumble
Feel the stinging, I've been given, never ending, unrelenting
Heartbreaks nearing, always fearing, never caring, persevering
Sail on, sail on sailor
Sail on, sail on sailor
I work the seaway (I work the seaway)
The gale swept seaway, (oh seaway)
Past shipwrecked daughters, (oh daughters)
Of wicked waters
Uninspired, drenched and tired
Wail on, wail on sailor
Always needing, ever bleeding, never feeding, all my feelings
Damn the thunder, must I blunder, there's no wonder,all I'm under
Stop your cryin', and the lyin', and the sighin', and my dyin'
Sail on, sail on sailor
Sail on, sail on sailor
Sail on, sail on sailor
Sail on, sail on sailor
(You've got to )
Sail on, sail on sailor
Sail on, sail on sailor
Sail on, sail on sailor
song performed by by Jimmy Buffett
Submitted by Lucian Velea
Vote! | Copy!
Winged Man
The moon, a sweeping scimitar, dipped in the stormy straits,
The dawn, a crimson cataract, burst through the eastern gates,
The cliffs were robed in scarlet, the sands were cinnabar,
Where first two men spread wings for flight and dared the hawk afar.
There stands the cunning workman, the crafty past all praise,
The man who chained the Minotaur, the man who built the Maze.
His young son is beside him and the boy's face is a light,
A light of dawn and wonder and of valor infinite.
Their great vans beat the cloven air, like eagles they mount up,
Motes in the wine of morning, specks in a crystal cup,
And lest his wings should melt apace old Daedalus flies low,
But Icarus beats up, beats up, he goes where lightnings go.
He cares no more for warnings, he rushes through the sky,
Braving the crags of ether, daring the gods on high,
Black 'gainst the crimson sunset, golden o'er cloudy snows,
With all Adventure in his heart the first winged man arose.
Dropping gold, dropping gold, where the mists of morning rolled,
On he kept his way undaunted, though his breaths were stabs of cold,
Through the mystery of dawning that no mortal may behold.
Now he shouts, now he sings in the rapture of his wings,
And his great heart burns intenser with the strength of his desire,
As he circles like a swallow, wheeling, flaming, gyre on gyre.
Gazing straight at the sun, half his pilgrimage is done,
And he staggers for a moment, hurries on, reels backward, swerves
In a rain of scattered feathers as he falls in broken curves.
Icarus, Icarus, though the end is piteous,
Yet forever, yea, forever we shall see thee rising thus,
See the first supernal glory, not the ruin hideous.
You were Man, you who ran farther than our eyes can scan,
Man absurd, gigantic, eager for impossible Romance,
Overthrowing all Hell's legions with one warped and broken lance.
On the highest steeps of Space he will have his dwelling-place,
In those far, terrific regions where the cold comes down like Death
Gleams the red glint of his pinions, smokes the vapor of his breath.
Floating downward, very clear, still the echoes reach the ear
Of a little tune he whistles and a little song he sings,
Mounting, mounting still, triumphant, on his torn and broken wings!
poem by Stephen Vincent Benet
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
Politician - Parody after Stephen SPENDER - Airman
Politician
He will watch the poll with no indifferent eye,
most pitifully, -
not on those voters who once cheered him, now
will strain his brow.
Weapons men use, mud-slinging, smear, tapped telephone,
all these he’s known.
This aristocrat, superb, until instinct
with death close-linked,
had faced the amorphous crowd, almost had won
war on the sun, ...
til now, ... like Icarus mid-ocean drowned,
his hopes unfound.
[c] Jonathan Robin parody written 7 August 1991 after Stephen SPENDER 1909_1995 - Airman
Airman
He will watch the hawk with an indifferent eye
Or pitifully:
Nor on those eagles that so feared him, now
Will strain his brow;
Weapons men use, stone, sling, and strong-thewed bow
He will not know.
This aristocrat, superb of all instinct,
With death close-linked
Had paced the enormous cloud, almost had won
War on the sun;
Till now, like Icarus mid-ocean drowned,
Hands, wings, are found.
Stephen SPENDER 1909_1995
poem by Jonathan Robin
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
When I Look To The Sky
When it rains it pours and opens doors
And floods the floors we thought would always keep us safe and dry
And in the midst of sailing ships we sink our lips into the ones we love
That have to say goodbye
And as I float along this ocean
I can feel you like a notion that won't seem to let me go
Cause when I look to the sky something tells me you're here with me
And you make everything alright
And when I feel like I'm lost something tells me you're here with me
And I can always find my way when you are here
And every word I didn't say that caught up in some busy day
And every dance on the kitchen floor we didn't have before
And every sunset that we'll miss I'll wrap them all up in a kiss
And pick you up in all of this when I sail away
And while I float upon this ocean
I can feel you like a notion that I hope will never leave
Whether I am up or down or in or out or just plane overhead
Instead it just feels like it's impossible to fly
But with you I can spread my wings
to see me over everything that life may send me
When I'm hoping it won't pass me by
And when I feel like there is no one that will ever know me
there you are to show me
song performed by by Train
Submitted by Lucian Velea
Vote! | Copy!
Awkward Age
I should have know that you were only just fifteen
You had a scowl like a Klingon beauty queen
Old enough to stand out but to young to stand with pride
So uncomfortable in your messed-up skin
And the cool parties never let you in
I can still relate to being so high and dry
Don't cry...
You're just at an awkward age
We'll all be fine
Disgraceful under pressure
Don't toe the line
You're just at an awkward age
Don't cry- just an awkward age
Don't cry
You're just at an awkward...
You look at me like i know what's going on
I'm looking back and i wonder what went wrong
I really thought by now a few things might clarify
I got a mind that goes out to lunch for days
And a body that sometimes disobeys
I get into the parties but i hate them 'cos i'm shy
Oh my...
I'm still at an awkward age
We'll all be fine
Disgraceful under pressure
Don't toe the line
You're just at an awkward age
Don't cry- just an awkward age
Don't cry
You're just at an awkward...
We're supposed to be happy
Supposed to be tough
Supposed to be flawless
Snd buy the right stuff
They want us all swimming
Don't care if we drown
Do don't let 'em take you down
It's a scary mountain to climb up without a guide
Besides...
We live in an awkward age
song performed by by Joe Jackson
Submitted by Lucian Velea
Vote! | Copy!
Walk Through Fire
(howe/thomas)
I used to see those red tail lights, heading for another town
And wish that I was on my way
Looking back on these summer nights, wasting time, fooling round
And there was nothing here to make me stay
But that night I met you, the night you came through made me realise
Theres no way I can leave, you made me believe
And now when I look in your eyes
Chorus:
I could walk through fire, I can feel it burning
And I could walk through fire, (to get) right back to you
And as the flames get higher, you know Ill get stronger
Baby I could walk through fire
Its crazy how these things work out, I used to think I had no chance
And I somehow thought youd slip away
You pulled me through the fear and doubt, gave me all Im looking for
Everything I needed to stay
How could something so good, something so simple, get serious
How could someone so right come into my life, and now I just want you to
Know
Chorus:
I could walk through fire, I can feel it burning
And I could walk through fire, (to get) right back to you
And as the flames get higher, you know Ill get stronger
Baby I could walk through fire
And I would go anywhere, I would do anything, I do what you want me to
You know that I would, I want you to know this, whenever you need me
Ooh wherever you are, no matter how far, you know Ill be coming for you
Chorus:
I could walk through fire, I can feel it burning
And I could walk through fire, (to get) right back to you
And as the flames get higher, you know Ill get stronger
Baby I could walk through fire
Baby I could walk through fire, right back to you
And I could walk through fire, and I could walk through fire
And I could walk through fire, right back to you, yeah
song performed by by Bad Company
Submitted by Lucian Velea
Vote! | Copy!
Living & Living Well
Had a nice little life
A little boat a little beach
A little routine I liked
A blue ocean view
Free to go with the flow
Anywhere that I wanted to
But the moment you set foot on my shore
Thats when I knew
Theres a difference in
Living and living well
You cant have it all
All by yourself
Somethings always missing
til you share it with someone else
Theres a difference in living and living well
til you smiled with me
Thought that I had it good
As good as it could be
From the back of my deck
Caught a fish caught a breeze
And a thousand red sunsets
But sitting here with you girl I just saw
The best one yet
Theres a difference in
Living and living well
You cant have it all
All by yourself
Somethings always missing
til you share it with someone else
Theres a difference in living and living well
My days are brighter
My sky a deeper blue
My nights are sweeter
When Im with you
Theres a difference in
Living and living well
You cant have it all
All by yourself
Somethings always missing
til you share it with someone else
Theres a difference in living and living well
song performed by by George Strait
Submitted by Lucian Velea
Vote! | Copy!
Love Sonnet 13 As Wings Would Take To Skies For Lofty Flights
As wings would take to skies for lofty flights,
And waves would roll, ardent, towards the shore,
Would I, my love, pursue the pure delights,
Which once bestowed, I could not care for more;
We'll not aspire to soar, reaching the sun,
To fall Icarus-like on melted wings,
Nor sail the seas upon the waves we shun,
Except in calm, such as Poseidon brings;
But with your loving care throughout the years,
I'll have the bliss that every blessed owns,
And this fond heart to highest heaven swears,
Will have its fill of mirth without the clowns;
......This story ends, like most, might get retold,
......Yet like the skies and waves, it can't grow old.
poem by Reyvrex Questor Reyes
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!