Icarus, by Jamie Hale, published in Poetry Quarterly – Winter 2018
Icarus is told as a tragedy
But to love life that much
For one perfect moment – he soared
And his end obscures that
The arching of our backs
The aching for wings.
It’s only when I flew myself
That I understood the precipice
Over which he danced
Let the wind last just one second longer
To keep these few moments flying
I’ll risk the plunge into the spray
Spread my arms and face the gale.
That moment before orgasm
Where sweat rolls down your face
Arching with pleasure
There’s nothing like wings
Lost to the wind’s ferocity
Cradled only by chances
And if these chances – moments –
Are all I have, like Icarus
I’ll give up the future,
Let the wind tear my skin from my bones
And dance with it between the stars
Let the sun melt my wax
To keep me flying
Sacrifice it all
For those endless moments