The Muse
Have you got the feeling that you have gone through this before?
photo by Jake Charles at Unsplash
The Muse
How many days already? The Muse is still missing! I woke up and the pencil is on the floor, and the sheets of paper lurking in the waste basket. Shall I go and file a missing persons report? But the cops will probably ask some awkward questions like where did you lose it, what time was it, and worst of all, describe the lost item.
You don't understand Sir, it is a person. Sort of.
A person, eh, and what does he do?
She helps me write poetry, sir.
She, eh? and they give me a knowing wink. Ah, the literary type, and I can imagine them picturing her, in thick glasses and toting a couple of thick books.
Have you checked the library, probably she's there, and what's her name please?
I think it's Clio, or Erato, or Polyhymnia, she's very vague about that too, and I can see them eyebrows rising just a bit.
And then i think I dropped the bomb by saying that she is not a real person. Not in a physical sense, but very real to me. First they roll their eyes, one poke a finger at me and threaten to lock me up if I don't exit the station by xx seconds.
So what choice do I have but to do my own legwork, poke in at the pub I brought her there a couple of times, that cafe by the beach. Or I can just sit tight and break some pencils and crush some papers. During the World Cup, she thought England was her beloved Greece. Poor thing! She was there at the coffee shop, watching the games on TV, cheering the wrong team. And me like a fool followed her and made some wrong choices at the betting shop.
She will come back to me, I am sure. One fine day when I am threatening the keyboard, she will be back, without a greeting. Sulking, sultry, laughing, murmuring. Always like that. As I am running out of poems, I will welcome her back. No hard feelings.
From an old journal,undated.
Revised somewhat, Sept 2020.
*************************
Stereopony - Stand By Me
© cheong lee san ( dsnake1 ) 2020
The Muse
How many days already? The Muse is still missing! I woke up and the pencil is on the floor, and the sheets of paper lurking in the waste basket. Shall I go and file a missing persons report? But the cops will probably ask some awkward questions like where did you lose it, what time was it, and worst of all, describe the lost item.
You don't understand Sir, it is a person. Sort of.
A person, eh, and what does he do?
She helps me write poetry, sir.
She, eh? and they give me a knowing wink. Ah, the literary type, and I can imagine them picturing her, in thick glasses and toting a couple of thick books.
Have you checked the library, probably she's there, and what's her name please?
I think it's Clio, or Erato, or Polyhymnia, she's very vague about that too, and I can see them eyebrows rising just a bit.
And then i think I dropped the bomb by saying that she is not a real person. Not in a physical sense, but very real to me. First they roll their eyes, one poke a finger at me and threaten to lock me up if I don't exit the station by xx seconds.
So what choice do I have but to do my own legwork, poke in at the pub I brought her there a couple of times, that cafe by the beach. Or I can just sit tight and break some pencils and crush some papers. During the World Cup, she thought England was her beloved Greece. Poor thing! She was there at the coffee shop, watching the games on TV, cheering the wrong team. And me like a fool followed her and made some wrong choices at the betting shop.
She will come back to me, I am sure. One fine day when I am threatening the keyboard, she will be back, without a greeting. Sulking, sultry, laughing, murmuring. Always like that. As I am running out of poems, I will welcome her back. No hard feelings.
From an old journal,undated.
Revised somewhat, Sept 2020.
*************************
Stereopony - Stand By Me
© cheong lee san ( dsnake1 ) 2020
Labels: Humour, Prose, writer's block, writing
posted by dsnake1 at 11:18 PM
14 Comments:
Capricious minx that she is, she often shows up at the most awkward moments, especially when my laptop or pen and paper aren't nearby. She'll sometimes yell "Surprise" when I have a head full of shampoo in the shower. How cheeky is that?
Haha great I am sure she is still there but she has been dissipated into smoke and lingers in the air till you are ready to inhale her again
Ah yes! She will come back, I promise. She always does – but in her own good time, or what seems good to her. And when she does, you'll be so enraptured you'll forgive her unconditionally. Also you'll be pleasantly surprised by the new stories she brings you.
One of my favourite 'writer's block' tales was told by Ted Hughes in his broadcasts to schoolchildren – that he 'had written nothing for a year or so' – my mind shrieks with horror at a block lasting so LONG! – then one night he thought he might write something, and in a very few minutes the wonderful 'The Thought-Fox' appeared on his page. In my experience a writer's block always precedes a quantum leap.
I enjoyed reading this; creatively written!
It simply doesn't do any good to hold a grudge against a long-absent muse. She's got a mind of her own. In the meantime, there's always wood to chop, water to carry...and childhood songs to sing.
I put out a want-ad in the form of a poem. She comes when we least expect it.
Rommy,
😁
she is one fun character!
Marja,
😮
have to look out for that!
Rosemary,
Liked what you told about Ted Hughes.
perhaps a writer's block is a period when the mind craves for a rest, and then goes in search of new ideas and gathers and sorts them, and viola! you have that masterpiece! 😃
Jenna,
Thank you! 😀
Teacher,
no, no grudge!
but there's too many chores to do. no time for writing. 😁
Colleen,
that's an idea worth considering... 😃
Oh this resonates..resonates deeply and painfully... wish I had muse enough to even write this lost and found piece about her....
Thotpurge, even without your muse, you still write such brilliant and thought-provoking poetry. i have always enjoyed reading your works. :)
I've been suffering a similar fate. When my muse reappears after absence it's usually in the middle of the night ... what I call my midnight epiphanies. I keep a notebook by my bed just in case she appears!
i used to write late into the night, but no longer in later years. still, i keep a pencil and notebook handy just in case the muse wakes me up. 😁
Nice!
thanks! 😀
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