I know, two in one day but this morning I received a gift of a book from my friend H. its called feathers & lime and its such a delight because its a fold 
out book and a piece of art in its own right. Inside is a series of German poems translated by my countryman, Ken Cockburn. But why the picture left, you might ask, well that's because there is an Icarus poem inside. Written by Rudolph Bussman and I had never come across it before. So despite all the copyright problems with such an exercise I am posting it here - maybe we could all buy a copy of the book and pass it on as compensation - its the boy as an asylum seeker:Icarus
He carried to the mountain
A rucksack filled with feathers and
A bucketful of lime.
When the wings had dried
He pushed off from the face
How far the land stretched out
That wasn't his
Between heaven and earth
A body.
He saw men and women set foot
In the houses of strangers
Seeking a home
Pull aside border-fences, exchange bread and wine
For guns. He heard them in the midst of song
Interrupt each other.
He flew calmly between heaven and earth
Like a poem.
He had to
Tell people about flying
About living above the houses.
It's not true that he fell to earth
He landed safe and sound between the walls
Before a door
Or behind one
He starved to death
A rucksack filled with feathers and
A bucketful of lime.
When the wings had dried
He pushed off from the face
How far the land stretched out
That wasn't his
Between heaven and earth
A body.
He saw men and women set foot
In the houses of strangers
Seeking a home
Pull aside border-fences, exchange bread and wine
For guns. He heard them in the midst of song
Interrupt each other.
He flew calmly between heaven and earth
Like a poem.
He had to
Tell people about flying
About living above the houses.
It's not true that he fell to earth
He landed safe and sound between the walls
Before a door
Or behind one
He starved to death
And this is Idir & Karen Matheson (from Capercaille) with - A Vava Inouva because I really love the fusion sound:
I ask you father Inouva, open the door
oh daughter Ghriba, shake your bracelets
I fear the monster of the forest father
O daughter Ghriba, I fear him too
