THE ICARUS TRILOGY
-UNABRIDGED-

I.) UNDERWING

I led a sheltered life
In a labyrinth of strife
My parents stopped my flight
And kept me safe from light
But my appetite for freedom
Eluded their defense
I knew I did not need them
To carry out my life's intents

Then one day I learned that I
Could make my tender wax wings fly
I was Icarus but my wings never melted

I got away from the ones who kept me underwing
I flew as high as I wanted to
I did my own thing
I flew like a bird with his heart set on the sky
On simple wings made from wax and string

In my newfound days of freedom
I discovered a place on high
Set in a source of light
Far beyond the sky
I gathered my mortal strength
And set to fly abroad
A course through the rays of the sun
To the palace of the gods

I got away from the ones who kept me underwing
I flew as high as I wanted to
I did my own thing
I flew like a bird with his heart set on the sky
On simple wings made from wax and string

On the day I decided to fly away
I flew to the sun
My wings never melted
But my heart did burn
The days when I was underwing were done

The gods gave me eternal life
In Olympus on young Sol
They named me the god of hope
And the liberator of soul
The days when I was underwing
Were left far behind
When the light had called to me
I had made up my mind

I was Icarus but my wings never melted

II.) CLIPPED WINGS

Throw me down from the heavens
Let me plummet to the deep blue sea
My life as a god
Is not the way I wanted it to be
My views of hope have been lost
Liberations of soul are no more
Let me back to the labyrinth
For I no longer want to soar...

Immortality
I never meant to reign on high
Immorality
All I ever wanted was to fly
Oh mortality
Your ties long to bound me again
Massed morality
I won't believe in godhood's reign

The burning heart of my youth
No longer beats in my tight chest
My appetite for freedom
Isn't quite so easy to digest

Forfeit my wings
For better things
I am Icarus
Please untie my strings

The sun's not high enough
But what's beyond it just can't be attained
There's more to see
Past where Olympian gods have ever reigned
Bound by righteousness
I'll never be allowed to roam
If I cannot strive
I might as well plunge down to my home

Immortality
I never meant to reign on high
Immorality
All I ever wanted was to fly
Oh mortality
Your ties long to bound me again
Massed morality
I won't believe in godhood's reign

Forfeit my wings
For better things
I am Icarus
Please untie my strings

I am Icarus and my wings should have melted

III.) WINGED ASCENT

I've been here and I've been there
On this earth I've been everywhere
To the North, the South, the East, the West
A wingless traveler with no rest
And I've found myself looking
At a time I knew before
Longing for a new way
Another future in store
I'd seen the earth from so far away
I thought I might have been blind
But now I know it's the same land
I once had left far behind

What we see
Isn't always what we're looking for
Implore
Explore
Be more

When I look back in retrospect
I see one thing I can't affect
And my forlorn destiny
Will forever beckon me
Man is bound on Earth to die
But for me I'd rather fly
Seek out other better things
And don my tender waxen wings

On a warm and windy night
I'll make my eternal flight
Beyond the sun, beyond the moon
Beyond this solar system's boon
Beyond the Earth and its terrain
Beyond the heavens -so insane

I am Icarus and I shall fly beyond this plane

What we see
Isn't always what we're looking for
Implore
Explore
Be more
What we do
Isn't always what has been programmed in
Win
Begin
It's not a sin

I may never reach my goal
My lunacy might take its toll
But if perchance I ever die
At least I had the will to try

I am Icarus and I shall fly beyond this plane

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Anders Sandberg / asa@nada.kth.se