My dictionary says
“ Muse n.
1. Greek Mythology - Any of the nine daughters of Mnemosyne and Zeus, each of whom presided over a different art or science.
2. muse
a. A guiding spirit.
b. A source of inspiration.
3. muse A poet.”
The original Muses were from Greek mythology. They were goddesses or spirits who gave inspiration. Much argument and discussion about the number of them has gone on through the centuries. Three, five or nine. How many the “correct” amount is doesn’t feel like an urgent question to me, but most people seem to be of the opinion that there are nine of them.
There are so many things and people that inspire me to write. I have written notebooks cover to cover filled with songs about the things I see happening to those around me. It’s my way of processing the surrounding world. My way of trying to understand why people are the way they are and through that figure out how I can change myself for the better. Most of the songs I write are far from great, but every now and then a melody attaches itself to the words in a very special way and it feels just right, I feel blessed. Those instants make it hard for me to see it as my composition. I was merely there at the right moment, in the right state of mind, to scribble it down. The sensation that it came from somewhere that wasn’t of my conscious thought is so strong that if I didn’t know better I would have guesses it was nothing but pure luck.
My muses are usually my closest friends and family, who are most of the time unaware of the inspiration I find in them. Everything I write has a root in reality, I wouldn’t be able to write anything remotely interesting if I just pulled it out of thin air with no reference to my surroundings, my feelings, my dreams and my past. The question of if what I’m writing is a literal or metaphoric rendition of events, I will leave that unsaid for the time being. I think interpretation is half the fun of any kind of art and I wouldn’t want to ruin it for you.
Despite all this, I will try to make my ramblings here on the blog a little clearer than my songs and stories, let you know when I’m making things up so you know when I’m trying to keep a dialogue. I’m an old dog stuck in her habits, trying to learn this new trick called blogging.
Thank you for the inspiration
03/02/2010
Wednesday Musings
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3 comments:
hehe, I also took a looong time blogging and still only do it sporadical.
Please don't refer to yourself as an 'old dog', for you are nothing of the kind! ;) I totally hear you about being there at the right time for something to happen. My mind seems to go off on its own when I'm writing something good (it does happen occasionally!) and it's only when I read it back that I become aware of the direction my muse has taken me in!
To muse is so much more creative than thinking. It implies freedom of the mind and release from the constraints that restrict deliberate thought. I muse in pictures both literal and metaphoric. I think in words.
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