RamblingVerses Newsletter – Episode I – July 2008
Welcome to the first Story Institute newsletter. No time for wasting…let’s rambling on through the storylines…
Whether you are composing a poem, scribbling a short story, or scratching out a novel, an inspiration is needed to get you going and maintain the explosions of creativity throughout your piece. Sometimes, we wonder where to find the missing muse. Sometimes, we think we see them, but become tricked by the lure of another voice. In the sections that follow, search for your muse. If you do not find him/her there, check out our website: http://www.storyinstitute.com/storylines/ or go on a mental walk-about, but find the inspiration before continuing. Otherwise, your verses, stories, and endeavors will become random ramblings lost without a muse…
Evoking Inspiration – Verses Inspired
A muse is as important to poetry as the poem itself. In Greek, the word mousa is a common noun as well as a type of goddess that means “song” or “poem”. While our ancestors may have believed in a celestial being that would inspire them, our muses can been seen in true physical forms amongst the many things that would evoke an emotion. Don’t search too long or hard for the muse though. If you miss her/him, the emotions that will be evoked are frustration, anger, anxiety, or despair…of course, you may want those…and, TADA! your muse has arrived…
Muses can be found in the strangest of places…under an old pile of clothes…around buildings…under your desk…behind the eyes of a new friend…in the mirror…or, in your left pocket…in fact, you had better check your pocket now…go ahead…we’ll wait…
You didn’t really check did you…oh well, maybe someone else will find that one…
Great writers have used many techniques to invoke a muse. Here are a couple of examples. Maybe, they can help you as well…
William Shakespeare – Henry V:
Chorus: O for a Muse of fire, that would ascend The brightest heaven of invention, A kingdom for a stage, princes to act And monarchs to behold the swelling scene!
Dante Alighieri – The Inferno:
O Muses, O high genius, aid me now! O memory that engraved the things I saw, Here shall your worth be manifest to all!
For a more in-depth look into the muse, Lord Byron shares some good thoughts…read carefully, and re-read it. We all miss something the first time…
Farewell to the Muse
By: George Gordon, Lord Byron
Thou Power! who hast ruled me through Infancy’s days, Young offspring of Fancy, ’tis time we should part; Then rise on the gale this the last of my lays, The coldest effusion which springs from my heart.
This bosom, responsive to rapture no more, Shall hush thy wild notes, nor implore thee to sing; The feelings of childhood, which taught thee to soar, Are wafted far distant on Apathy’s wing.
Though simple the themes of my rude flowing Lyre, Yet even these themes are departed for ever; No more beam the eyes which my dream could inspire, My visions are flown, to return,—alas, never!
When drain’d is the nectar which gladdens the bowl, How vain is the effort delight to prolong! When cold is the beauty which dwelt in my soul, What magic of Fancy can lengthen my song?
Can the lips sing of Love in the desert alone, Of kisses and smiles which they now must resign ? Or dwell with delight on the hours that are flown ? Ah, no! for those hours can no longer be mine.
Can they speak of the friends that I lived but to love? Ah, surely Affection ennobles the strain! But how can my numbers in sympathy move, When I scarcely can hope to behold them again?
Can I sing of the deeds which my Fathers have done, And raise my loud harp to the fame of my Sires? For glories like theirs, oh, how faint is my tone! For Heroes’ exploits how unequal my fires!
Untouch’d, then, my Lyre shall reply to the blast— ‘Tis hush’d; and my feeble endeavors are o’er; And those who have heard it will pardon the past, When they know that its murmurs shall vibrate no more.
And soon shall its wild erring notes be forgot, Since early affection and love is o’ercast: Oh! blest had my Fate been, and happy my lot, Had the first strain of love been the dearest, the last.
Farewell, my young Muse! since we now can ne’er meet; If our songs have been languid, they surely are few: Let us hope that the present at least will be sweet— The present—which seals our eternal Adieu.
Clouded Resources – Muse
Here are some of the many…many resources found on the web for finding your muse…Good luck…
Creativity – Dr. Leslie Owen Wilson
http://www.uwsp.edu/education/lwilson/creativ/muse/idmus2.htm
The Voice of Your Muse – Mark David Gerson
http://markdavidmuse.blogspot.com/
A Muse for a Friend – Story Institute – For the remaining newsletter and ideas…
http://www.storyinstitute.com/storylines/
To take RamblingVerser with you or read it offline, download the PDF version here:
ramblingverses-episode-1-july-2008