Welcome, everyone! It’s Haiku Friday!
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In Greek Mythology, Icarus was the son of the genius inventor, Daedalus. Daedalus built a great labyrinth for King Minos of Crete. At some point, Daedalus and his son Icarus were imprisoned within the walls of the labyrinth.
To escape, Daedalus made two pairs of wings by adhering feathers to a wooden frame with wax. Giving one pair to his son, he cautioned him that flying too near the sun would cause the wax to melt. But Icarus ignored his father’s warning and filled with the exhilaration of flying, he flew too high and too close to the sun. The sun’s intense heat melted the wax on the wings and the feathers began to detach and fall off. Eventually all the feathers came loose and Icarus plunged to his death.
This is a tale of caution, warning us to remember our limitations. But if we do not test our limitations, how do we know how high we can fly?
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The Fall of Icarus
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Icarus forgot
That the delightful sun was
never his to touch
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Trying to get close
I burned in your atmosphere
No fun in the sun
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“Do just once what others say you can’t do, and you will never pay attention to their limitations again.”
~James Cook
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“Argue for your limitations, and sure enough they’re yours.”
~Richard Bach
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Fun and Sun are this week’s prompt words chosen by Ronovan Hester of Ronovan Writes.
Ron hosts a challenge that anyone could participate in called Ronovan Writes Weekly Haiku Poetry Prompt Challenge every Monday, and you have until Sunday to create a post featuring your haiku poem. He is an author and poet and also does author interviews and much more on his blog. Be sure to check it out. Read Ron’s Haiku Prompt Challenge Guidelines for more information.
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I guess the story was also about listening to advice and to your parents, the voice of experience, but I agree with your reading of it. We can’t always play it safe… Thanks, Vasthi.
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Hi Olga! Yes, you’re right. There are different lessons to be learned from this myth.
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Love this Vashti!
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I’m so glad, Ritu! Thank you! 😀 xx
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Love it! You always have the most incredible images. Wow.
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Yay! I’m happy you enjoyed the post. I search high and low for these images, Gwen. It’s part of the fun. 😉 Thank you!
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I love the image and the background story that goes with it! Your Haiku ties in nicely with that. Have a great weekend Vashti!
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Hello, Denise! That’s great! Thank you very much. Have a great weekend too! 😀 xx
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I’m always willing to risk and go where angels fear to tread! Wonderful Haiku, Vashti. Happy weekend! 🙂 ❤
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Hi Tina! Good for you! If we don’t take risks (calculated ones) we don’t grow. Happy weekend! ❤ xx
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Vashti,
Nice story and I get it. No one listens to the wisdom of their parents, but I’m also a risk taker and willing to take the plunge sometimes. Of course i mean this in a sensible way most of the time,
I’ll most definitely enjoy the sun once it decides to stay a while. We’ve had a crazy spring. One day it’s 80 and then we have several days of 50s and 60s. Definitely crazy this year.
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I’m all about taking risks, Sunni, as long as they’re well thought out. Without taking risks we don’t make progress. It is also important to listen to the advice of those with more experience and add their input to our calculations. 😉
That’s the kind of weather that can make you sick, so take care. The month of April has been beautiful in south Florida; mostly warm with a mild and pleasant breeze. 😀
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Great poem. Great quotes and great reminders that our limitations are often MYTHS!
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Well said, my friend! Thank you! Have a great weekend! ❤
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Hi Vashti, How you doing my friend? Hope you are okay? Lovely haiku, we all need a little fun in the sun. Today, it was a scorching hot day at the London Marathon such a wonderful event. Very hot and heart-warming!
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Hi Marje! I’m doing a little better every day. I’m feeling good. It’s been raining here in south Florida, but we needed the moister. Enjoy the warmth! 😀
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You pose a good question Vashti. If we don’t take chances how will we learn, if we don’t how will we know our potential. Love this! ❤
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Thank you, Debby! I think we need to take risks in order to grow, but they need to be well thought out, so listening to good advice is not a bad idea. 😉 ❤
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I’m in total agreement. 🙂 ❤
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I’ve always loved the story of Icarus, and your poems are great! 🙂
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Hi Yvette! I love Mythology in general. I’m happy you enjoyed the post, my friend. Thanks for the visit and comment. 😀 xx
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Excellent Vashti.. and whilst not necessarily to that extreme, I think most of us have pushed the envelope especially at that age. Some of us crashed and burned.. but we gave it another shot. His problem was he did not have a parachute.. great Haiku.. xxxx
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‘His problem was he did not have a parachute . . .’ that’s so cool, Sally! I love it! You’re right! I’m so happy you liked the Haiku! Thank you! ❤ xx
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My pleasure Vashti.. loved it. hugs ♥
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I do like this story, Vashti. A lovely poem to accompany this story.
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I’ve always loved Greek Mythology. I’m glad you enjoyed the post, Robbie. Thank you! ❤
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