Am I Icarus?

Am I Icarus?

Seeking to leave a world of indifference,

Or am I just being belligerent?

Seeking a way that is beyond my ability,

choosing to obstinately ignore the warning of those who went before me?

Destined to crash back into this world of my abhorring?

Or is it possible to escape his plight?

And avoid the ruin of his wretched flight,

to leave this place and reach new heights?

Am I Icarus?

Destined to be remembered for failure,

when I sallied forth for adventure?

Not content with the life most endure,

but assured that from life I could find more,

and in my delight, I would try for the stars like a kite.

Only to have it wrenched from my hands due to pride...

Am I Icarus,

whose route of escape only sealed his fate?

Whose wretched dreams, and meticulous schemes

are what ultimately shipwrecked his destiny?

And if this is me,

how can I be free?

This piece came from sitting around and listening to Jars of Clay. In their song "Worlds Apart" there is a line: "Soaring on the wings of selfish pride, I flew too high, and like Icarus I collide, with a world I tried so hard to leave behind."  This line got me thinking on how I tend to disdain what many hold to be living, the American dream. I see it as death on the inside, and living without real purpose.  So I decided to roll the dice against an uncertain future and try to follow what I saw as purposeful living. But seeing the warning of those who have shipwrecked dreams at times make me question the wisdom of my path. From this I came up with the question ," Am I Icarus?"

- Esteban