THE
DREAM OF ICARUS
Copyright Jim Willis 2002
http://www.crean.com/jimwillis
Like velvet
slumber covered me until
my wings were made of dreams,
and so I flew, buoyed by feathers held by wax,
precarious at best, and yet
I soared over rooftop and gable,
until the Earth below came into view
through the cotton batting of clouds.
My companions
were the angels,
jealous, perhaps, that a man should challenge
their domain of air, of light, of carefree breezes.
I swooped and dove, trying out this newfound bliss,
of blessed freedom, yes!,
with an unfettered pleasure that escaped the bounds of gravity.
When below,
I saw the most wondrous sights,
the release to freedom of all species...
the end of Man's depravity.
And I, privileged above all men,
watched as cage doors flew open and the released ran and frolicked -
as barnyard gates swung open and their prisoners
mooed and whinnied and cackled in glee -
They were free!
The shelters,
too, they fell to ruins, and their inhabitants ran free...
like me,
and I hovered in mid-air as around me all began to sing praises
to The Creator for His benevolence,
and to our world for finally heeding what was always meant to be.
I dove
toward the sea and glided,
above the fishes,
in glory,
I listened to their stories.
I spiraled upward over treetops,
the rainforest glistened,
the angels hastened,
but none could keep up with me!
Yes! I
yelled and shouted,
the captors have all been routed,
and God in his majesty has decided that all should be free.
The Arab embraced the Jew,
the lines of communication grew,
between all man,
between man and beast,
they began to feast,
and in this holy hour all became one.
Not one more important and all basking in the sun...
all the same as me.
Like water
ran my feelings,
like electricity, my nerves tingled,
like a river running on,
I flew.
But I flew
too near the sun -
the angels shouted warnings,
but, alas, I did not heed them.
It was my fate to plummet, headlong toward the Earth,
to forsake this epiphany of my rebirth.
I awoke,
tangled in my sheets,
the television blared its dour reports,
and through my window, I saw the city ringed by smog...
and a man raised his hand against another,
and his dog cowered, awaiting the blows.
All was
again lost, what had been found,
and I in those tangled linens, soaked with sweat,
like a shroud was bound.
Then toward
me, my cat crept.
Of hope, I was bereft.
It was not meant to be...not yet.
I turned my face away and wept.
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