The Boy Who Never Flew

This is for Vocal's This Is How I Remember It challenge and Poppy's #13 prompt.

This is not history, but tragedy, remembered by Dedalus, who remained.

Heed the call...or someone bears the toll. For memory blurs--in grief.

🪽🪽🪽🪽🪽🪽🪽🪽🪽🪽🪽🪽🪽🪽🪽🪽🪽🪽🪽🪽🪽🪽🪽🪽🪽🪽🪽

They say--

He fell by force

Of a summer's harsh gale

But I do recall this last flight--

Do I?

🪽🪽🪽🪽🪽🪽🪽🪽🪽🪽🪽🪽🪽🪽🪽🪽🪽🪽🪽🪽🪽🪽🪽🪽🪽🪽🪽

He stood

Feathers unfurled

The ledge behind his heels.

Peered at the sun through lidless eyes--

And flew.

🪽🪽🪽🪽🪽🪽🪽🪽🪽🪽🪽🪽🪽🪽🪽🪽🪽🪽🪽🪽🪽🪽🪽🪽🪽🪽🪽

He tried.

But flight was naught.

Shattered bones and wing wax.

Left under the scorching sun's rays

To melt.

🪽🪽🪽🪽🪽🪽🪽🪽🪽🪽🪽🪽🪽🪽🪽🪽🪽🪽🪽🪽🪽🪽🪽🪽🪽🪽🪽

A lie.

There was no heat

But false hope in great wings

And a call not to place one's faith

In wax.

🪽🪽🪽🪽🪽🪽🪽🪽🪽🪽🪽🪽🪽🪽🪽🪽🪽🪽🪽🪽🪽🪽🪽🪽🪽🪽🪽

I called

But did he hear?

Or spread his waxen wings

With no care that the scorching sun

Would foil?

🪽🪽🪽🪽🪽🪽🪽🪽🪽🪽🪽🪽🪽🪽🪽🪽🪽🪽🪽🪽🪽🪽🪽🪽🪽🪽🪽

Original poem by Michelle Liew. AI tags are coincidental.