"The rebirth of Ra-Atum-Khepri, occurring during an Interzone Coffee-break T.V. commercial, causing a partial eclipse over the Westernlands."

(This phenomena may have coincided, or been caused, by Brion emerging from a lengthy 'Walk-in Dream Machine' seance)

"Dream-poles in the February snowfields ~ a white petrified sleep ensues."

ICARUS

Icarus, his hair

crackling like thunder

stood first on one leg

then on the other, trembling

at his father's touch

as the great wings were fitted

with strong bands of leather

across the narrow breast.

His feet quivered

and his heart jerked

with the young excitement

that leaves the bowels hollow,

until at last the wings

were on, and Daedalus stood

and said: these wings were made

for our escape; and frowned

a warning at his son

who couldn't hear a word.

Icarus plunged head down

into the shining air

and soaring, diving, rising

he rinsed himself of those

old terrors of earth, clay,

and metallic deaths:

but the sea glittered

with the strewn fragments

of the sun, and

the heat, white-hot

as new hammerleavings

stirred the wax to liquid

in the wings, until

the boy, Icarus

seeing feathers break-

ing free, struggled harder

and found he was not frightened

but feeling godlike

and in that blinding moment

he made his last, noble

effort, ignored the shout

of Daedalus, and sprang

still higher, until

his sweat sizzled

gashes broke red (bright coals)

through the charred crust

of his rib-cage

and then

only

ashes

falling like blackbirds

to the waiting sea

Poem by

LYMAN ANDREWS, (From "Kaleidoscope" 1973)

(Illustration by Paul O'Donovan 2005)

Knowing Bill will be concerned, Dr Benway has promised to consult you with his book of Shaman spells ASAP ~ however as you will know, he is currently busy in attendance at the Vatican where lucrative employment in the service of the pontiff has called him.