The Meeting Place
What are you waiting for––
divine inspiration?
Do you think Shakespeare waited for his muse?
And if your muse came,
would you even recognize her?
Will she wear long white flowing robes?
Will she play a lute or will your voice
be her instrument?
Will she whisper in your ear or speak to you
though your mind?
And will she be beautiful or will that even matter?
As you age will your muse age with you
or is she perpetually young?
And what about wisdom?
Will it be your own acquired wisdom or hers
that will make your words cut like a knife
though the soft texture of days,
that will give them purpose
when those around you
fail and fall
into the magnetic cloud
of forgetfulness or boredom?
What if as you sit there
waiting for your muse,
watching reality TV
or doing crossword puzzles,
your muse is waiting for you
in the keys of your computer
or in your pen point?
What if she has been lolling all these years
in the pages
of that lined notebook
sitting empty on your shelf?
I keep telling you
that every day I see her
pass behind you
as you pine for her,
always looking
in the opposite
direction.
Oh, the irony of always looking for the Muse in the wrong place! It is true that I think we try too hard sometimes. I love these lines:
Will it be your own acquired wisdom or hers
that will make your words cut like a knife
though the soft texture of days,
– beautiful!
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Thanks, Ingrid.
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Love this!
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Beautiful poem, beautiful thoughts, beautiful picture of an aggressive but beautiful temptress of a woman~! But when I went back to look again, it had turned into another scene, and I only saw a stone face muse, saying “too late, I win~!
I find that when you work with that dVerse Poets, it somehow it brings something out in you that appeals to my thoughts.
Thanks for starting my day off with fine memories of my own muse.
SAM
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Sam, I was trying to get this post in before midnight and so used an image from Unsplash. As always, however, I prefer to use my own images and Forgottenman suggested this one from my files. It is a large sculpture I have at the entrance to my house. I like it, too, so I substituted it for the other image.
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The stone image is fine, and added another element to my thoughts as I said, but I also liked the “Upsplash” one, which I felt fit the poem better. I often imagine that my muse is now just behind me, tormenting me~! But who must you believe between a duck and a frog.
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I agree the first fit the poem better, but the second was more personal so chose to go with it, as I do word-by-word as I write. I always appreciate your close attention as I do your comments, Sam.
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Wow thanks~! Actually I consider myself one in over a thousand and so to be noticed at all makes me feel appreciated~!
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I most often try to use my own photos but often a cartoon or other photo fits better. Today none of my photos would tell the story as well as the one from UpSplash. https://mcouvillion.wpcomstaging.com/2021/07/21/motor-mouth/
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Splendid musings, Judy
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I agree: one should always create even w/o the muse. Although I’m sometimes at war with mine because the little spite muses at the wrong time. 🙂 Excellent poem, Judy!
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Thanks, Sascha.
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I enjoy the concept of the hidden muse–it’s a mutual relationship, we have to recognize the muse in order to receive the gift.
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We have to recognize that the muse is us. IMHO.
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I am in love with your poem … one after another, questions for the ages. With a great ending. Cheers.
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I love that you are in love with my poem, Helen!!!
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Good “muse”ings, Judy.
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absolutely
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Hi Beth!!!!!
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Well said! Wonderfully written, and a very good point. 🙂
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