Jerry Garcia is a poet, photographer and filmmaker from Los Angeles, California. His poetry has been seen in various journals and anthologies, including Wide Awake: Poets of Los Angeles and Beyond, Coiled Serpent Anthology, Voices from Leimert Park Redux, The San Pedro River Review, Dark Ink Anthology, The Chiron Review, and Askew Magazine. He has two books of poetry, the full-length collection On Summer Solstice Road (2016 Green Tara Press) and chapbook Hitchhiking With the Guilty (2010 GND Press). He has been a featured reader at venues from Orange County to the California Central Coast including Beyond Baroque, The World Stage and The Los Angeles Public Library ALOUD Series. Jerry lives in the San Fernando Valley with his wife Becky and their poetic dog Japhy Ryder.
Top Gun Mythology
Daedalus & Icarus
Daedalus touched down at the drive-in
for a burger, shake and fries.
Skating waitresses looked askance
as he begged slick son Icarus
to make good use of his feathers.
The guys jeered their waxed up friend
as he obediently flapped his wings
to follow his father’s departure.
Soon, like Maverick against Viper,
Icarus soared past cruising altitude.
Daedalus flew steady.
Icarus climbed and rotated
Top Gunning his way
to the stars.
Dad wished Icarus were more concerned
about safety than looking cool.
“Where are you going, Son?”
“Just one more high, Dad!” Icarus shouted
as he climbed toward the searing sun.
Daedalus didn’t curse
his plummeting son’s arrogance;
after all, he had given the boy his wings.
Daedalus & Icarus
Daedalus touched down at the drive-in
for a burger, shake and fries.
Skating waitresses looked askance
as he begged slick son Icarus
to make good use of his feathers.
The guys jeered their waxed up friend
as he obediently flapped his wings
to follow his father’s departure.
Soon, like Maverick against Viper,
Icarus soared past cruising altitude.
Daedalus flew steady.
Icarus climbed and rotated
Top Gunning his way
to the stars.
Dad wished Icarus were more concerned
about safety than looking cool.
“Where are you going, Son?”
“Just one more high, Dad!” Icarus shouted
as he climbed toward the searing sun.
Daedalus didn’t curse
his plummeting son’s arrogance;
after all, he had given the boy his wings.
© 2019
Jerry Garcia
Jerry Garcia was a Featured Poet at the September 2019 Second Sunday Poetry Series
Jerry Garcia was a Featured Poet at the September 2019 Second Sunday Poetry Series