DAEDALUS AND ICARUS

Quote Daedalus to Icarus:

“With rule and plumbline,— thus, and — thus,

We space and build our labyrinth,

And build, besides, a graven plinth

To bear the future fame of Us,”

Quote Daedalus to Icarus.

Quoth Icarus to Daedalus:

“Before these Cretans make a fuss,

And set our names up with a shout,

Perhaps we'd better first get out,

And show the master-mind of Us,”

Quoth Icarus to Daedalus.

Then round and round went Daedalus,

And out and in went Icarus.

They parted for an hour's whole space....

They met upon the selfsame place!

“I think we're stuck,” quoth Icarus,

“I think we are,” quoth Daedalus.

In short, to be perspicuous,

Like this old tale of Daedalus;

‘ Spite of our mouths with freedom filled,

From life's poor trivial things we build

A maze about the feet of us

That shuts us in like Daedalus.

But Daedalus and Icarus

Made wings, and set them — thus, and — thus;

And that blind maze that hemmed them in

They sloughed, as drops the snake its skin:

And so at last shall all of us,

Like Daedalus and Icarus.