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Mnemosyne Is Mother Of The Muse

(a poem for those who think they are not creative)

The Goddess Mnemosyne: A painting in the Pre - Raphaelite style, I don't have the name of the artist available (source: copyright freed meb archive)

Mnemosyne is the Ancient Greek Goddess of memory. The piece is dedicated to a poet I know who loved to write sonnets. Helga was once told me she was "blocked". Part of the solution was to get her out of the prison of scrict form, as for the rest I don't know if my online firting helped but it was fun. Lovers of the sonnet form may notice this has more or less the shape of a sonnet. I don't concern myself with the finer points of form though so it should just be viewed as a short poem.

She sought, not knowing what she was seeking, a talisman perhaps, some mystic key to arouse her muse from deepest ennui and so silence frustration's wild shrieking. "Observe the many rules", a high priest said, "Follow this way", whispered the charlatan but a still, small voice advised "look within, then face the truths you find without fear or dread and germinate each recollection's seed and from among them nurture those you choose." Then from within Psyche's deep vault she freed A treasury of inspirations to use. Seek out no secrets, seeker, but concede Mnemosyne is mother of the muse. From a very old book I have called Ancient Myths of the Greeks, in a chapter on Minor Gods and Goddesses: The Muses They are the daughters of Zeus and Mnemosyne. They are known for the music of their song, which brings joy to any who hear it. There are nine Muses, each with her own specialty: Clio (History), Urania (Astronomy), Melpomene (Tragedy), Thalia (Comedy), Terpsichore (Dance), Calliope (Epic Poetry), Erato (Love Poetry), Polyhymnia (Songs to the Gods), Euterpe (Lyric Poetry). There is more in these ancient myths than just pretty stories and Ray Harryhausen monsters. Do people know I wonder, when they talk of writer's block and "the muse deserting" them that the answer is so simple? Memory is mother of the muse. Look at some photos, play your old 45 rpm records, visit old haunts, re-read a fave book and then find or make for yourself an island of peace and relect on the memories that have been jogged. Your creativity will soon flow. Lord Byron said "poetry is emotions reflected at leisure" (or something like that.)

So many people now take things too literally and when they read that there is always a grain of truth in ancient myths they look for literal truth. In reality the truth is much more likely to be spiritual or symbolic. In one of Steinbeck's books he has a character say "distil the myth and find the symbol." OK, I led you to the symbol here, now never get "blocked" again. And if you do, don't worry about it. Once you think you are blocked rather than "not writing at the moment" you are in trouble.

Dance of Mnemosyne and her daughters: 19th century drawing from an ancient Greek frieze

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