When Icarus Fell
by Phoebe Curlis-Gibson, Donvale Christian College
Finalist, Years 9 – 10, written poetry
When Icarus fell, did he imagine his myth?
Did he know that, in the future, he would be a cautionary tale
Of hubris and petty ignorance
A tale, children are told to make them listen to their parents
Or, when he flew through the psychedelic blue skies
Wax melting from his wings
The searing, lovely pain making him feel alive
Did he even consider the possibility that this was it?
This was his end.
Or was the sun too hypnotising, the flight too fulfilling
That, he laughed until the end
Or was he right?
Did he fall not into the ocean to drown
But to be extinguished
To be saved?
To fall from his myth into ours
History and fantasy repeating themselves, intertwined
Did he begin again?
Want to read more poems? Explore the other Years 9 – 10 finalists.