Musing about Muses

 

This week’s “musings” are about muses… My band Gaelic Muses that I’m in with two outstanding and wonderful female musicians, is embarking on a new approach to our presentation! A hint, there’s a “muse” involved… Come to our next performance to find out more! In fact, Gaelic Muses will be performing at Joe’s Corner this Sunday, September 25^th from 3 -6. Would love to see you there if you live in the SF bay area! Here’s a flyer with information: 

https://tinyurl.com/4ypu8338

 (or use this QR code)

 

Anyway, this talk about muses got me remembering about a poem I wrote that has been on my website for years. How could I forget about that! And, on the same page that has links to several of my poems, are links to my stories about an Irish Harper that I created and developed into somewhat of a series and I’m inspired! I want to write more of these stories – each can easily be a chapter, so there may be a book to publish in the future!

If you’d like to read any of these short stories – or better yet, watch the video me telling the first story in concert, and listen to a recording of my telling of two others – they can be found at: https://verlene.com/writing2.html

And if you’d like to read my poem, it’s also on the website that I listed above, but here it is for you to read without leaving this page!

My Muse

My muse is playful and

            mysterious.

She has a name, all right,

            but she’s not telling.

All I know for certain is that

            “My Muse” is enough

of a title for this poem. And I’m

            sure she’s a she.

 

She drops clues and hints

            and runs off giggling.

She wants me to make use

            of my brilliant mind

and intense intuition

            to figure out things.

She knows it all -- the Whole Truth --

            and often times

 

she whispers a seed and leaves

            it there to grow

into an idea, or an insight,

            even a brainstorm.

She is sometimes annoying.

            I try to close

my eyes and my mind

            but then she turns

 

motherly on me. I tell her:

            Leave me alone!

And usually she does but

            always she leaves

her scent behind -- one I swear

            I can’t ignore.

At times my muse is not

            there for me.

 

I call and I call, but she

            has no interest.

I fall stupid and uninspired.

            But she repents,

seeing my consuming need,

            and brings gifts

as always to make up for

            her negligence.

 

Verlene Schermer, 1984

Wishing you very happy musings until next week,

Verlene

PS, please leave a comment below -- I'd love to hear your thoughts and musings!