I ... entered the poem of life, whose purpose is ... simply to witness the beauties of the world, to discover the many forms that love can take. (Barabara Blackman in 'Glass After Glass')

These poems are works in progress and may be updated without notice. Nevertheless copyright applies to all writings here and all photos (which are either my own or used with permission). Thank you for your comments. I read and appreciate them all, and reply here to specific points that seem to need it — or as I have the leisure. Otherwise I reciprocate by reading and commenting on your blog posts as much as possible.

11 January 2015

Muse

He is d’Artagnan,
dance and flash —

the grin, the jaunty stance,
the curled plume of the hat.

His dark eyes regard me
in absolute a-Musement

but he’s not saying a word:
this warrior is on strike.

The blade, resting sheathed,
hat and cloak laid aside

proclaim he has
as much time as it takes.

Is it up to me
to coax the words?

Is he Muse or Anti-Muse? Ah …
I know him: Animus.

He winks;
that lazy air

belies his tightening grip
around my pen.

I reach and clasp his hand.
At last — yes — action!


Been tinkering with this for 11 years!  The black-out erasure method helped me pare it back to something which I could then build on anew — using bits of the original, bits of the erasure, plus some new things —and finally get to what I wanted to convey. 


45 comments:

  1. This is a very visual poem. You have captured the dash and sauciness of D'Artagnan
    and the inspiration that will guide your creative hand. I like this snapshot approach...
    Rallentanda

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  2. Brilliant! Sensuality and all of its complications are visual in this poem. I love it!

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    1. Delighted to have succeeded in making that visible too, without spelling it out. Thank you.

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  3. d'artagnan....quite the dashing muse you have there eh? ha.
    cool that you have worked on this one for so long and are once again making headway
    i dont really believe in a muse...

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  4. somehow this line caught my eye: 'belies his tightening grip
    around my pen' ~ interesting!

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    1. I was still composing with pen and paper back when I first attempted this poem.

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  5. Well at least he is muse to your words ~ I like the imagery of the warrior on strike ~ perhaps we just need to shake him out again & again ~

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  6. I like the Jungian slant to this as if ready to merge anima and animus--and to see self as a muskateer! Wow. Mine is more a clown ... Love this.

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    1. Mine's doing a lot of work, poor fellow, being almost Shadow as well ... though the Shadow is of course subconscious.

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  7. Ah, we each have to find a way to catch that muse and hold on to him! He can be very elusive!

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  8. So the muse finally took hold. I still write with pen and paper so I loved that line, 'belies his tightening grip around my pen'.

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    1. It just wouldn't work the same to start talking about keyboards, lol.

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  9. Love the wordplay the a-muse and antimuse.. Such a bold one you have.. Or should I say dashing?

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  10. I can see him and love "the grin, the jaunty stance, the curled plume of the hat". I could work with a Muse like that! Enjoyed this very much.

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    1. Once upon a time the Muse was always assumed to be female. But now there are so many of us women poets, I think we need our own version!

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  11. I think the muse teases as he wants you to find your own voice as he watches. Interesting theme.

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    1. Yes, I think that is certainly one thing that's going on. But better when we join and cooperate.

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  12. Doesn't every writer have some kind of muse, some kind of object that pushes us to do better.

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  13. i love how well this flows...almost sings through your head.

    lovely visuals!!

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  14. A hand well grasped :-)
    ZQ

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  15. Ha! It is hard to identify the muse or anti-muse--I think you just have to forge ahead as you always do. Thanks. k.

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  16. This is a rather unique personification of the illusive muse. He seems a lively if recalcitrant fellow.

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    1. Ha ha, thank you Kerry. Yes he is all those things.

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  17. It was a really clever way of writing wasn't it - I am glad it helped you catch your muse...

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    1. Yes; I'm excited about the possibilities for other poems.

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  18. En garde! Can we now expect posts from you with rapier wit?

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  19. It's nice when we can finally complete a writing we've been working on. I find it brings a nice sense of accomplishment! Well done, I say. Very nicely written :)

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    1. Yes, all that time I was reluctant to just ditch it. Glad you like the final outcome.

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  20. Interesting choice for the name of the muse. Well written.

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    1. Thank you. It's not the name so much as the connotations.

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  21. love and hate relationship with a muse could sometimes be frustrating. but glad you gotta hold of him. go, write, free flowing. happy new year

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  22. Very nicely done here. However you got to this point, it makes for a very polished work. And I love the puns.
    Steve K.

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    1. Thank you, Steve. After 11 years, I guess it should be polished — but not all end up that way. Nice that I was able to save this one. And I'm so glad you enjoyed the puns! (Grin.)

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