Thank you, Laurieglynn, and MB. You've both enabled me to see that my concept of the muse is in need of drastic revision. For me, yes very definitely, my muse is connected deeply to the man I'm in love with. He's my connection to the world, I guess. I write for him, whoever he is, because if I didn't, I wouldn't write. Am I then chauvinistic? A female 'Picasso' sort? My relationships colour my writing, most certainly. But then, I am a lyrical poet, and I work best with the I/Thou structure. Perhaps I ought to work on freeing myself from this muse-addiction, and find deeper roots, as you so eloquently indicate MB, and a place alone from where I can write, as you say with such deep wisdom Laurieglynn.
Who we write for, besides ourselves, is a crucial topic for me and any insights you can offer are welcomed.
When there is no relationship I can dry up. Someone I talked to about this years ago said that when a man loves a woman he fertilizes her. That happens for me creatively.
Sometimes I need to take a break to catch up, but always it comes back to this.
Whoever I am in love with becomes a figure around which my dreams collect.
It might not even be an actual relationship, either. But more of an imaginary one. The smarter and more creative my 'muse,' the better my work. Perhaps it has to do with potential audience, who you're speaking to and at what level the discourse occurs. For me that figure is never generalized, but always particular. A specific 'thou,' a sacred someone.
Sometimes, because of the all too often rigid distinctions between the sexes culturally, and not receiving the kind of support that might happen in a less hegemonic world, I wonder if my muse were female if it would be any easier.
Many women have a female muse. Alas, I don't.
I love men. No way around it.
More discussion, please...
xo
my muses
ReplyDeletenot one
but a bevy a troupe
of gleefully
restless whispering
women
and occasionally there
is a[n invited] man
in their midst
but my muses
are a barefooted bunch
of unruly wimmen
living within my skin
and the "you"
in my poetry is always
hearing reading
you
An intriguing discussion, my Friend. Quote: "It might not even be an actual relationship, either. But more of an imaginary one."
ReplyDeleteThis is significant. In fiction, one does develop an intimacy with character~albeit briefly~that quite consumes. The problem is separating the character from oneself~and one's hidden expectation within a very real relationship~ie; superimposing one's "vision" of a relationship in real life into the fictional. The novelist, Ann Rice, made this error and thus, her characters and her fiction began to take on a convolution of their original construction.
Muse is inspiration. It does not matter from whence the inspiration arises: emotional reaction is involved. Grief, passion, jealousy, loneliness, devotion, anger, love, attraction alone. The symbol for the emotion can be anything. For me, when I am deeply involved with one who is loved, it is the great distraction~hence, the longing is more prompting than the actual experience.
Actually, Miss Brenda, I think it quite Divine that you become inspired by the fruitful love shared with another. I see it more as a fulfillment than a solitary and very lonely quest. If I look at Beloved, he has no more interest in my writing than the carpet. It may be in my nature that this is a good thing. On the other hand, the other love, whom I shall henceforth identify as Dearest, is a shadow, an intrigue and a potential disaster, though not necessarily inspiration.
Thus, I return to solitude. Perhaps, in the end, writing is but a method of coping with aloneness~or else I am one who simply flourishes within the confines of solitude. It is a catch-22. Would I sacrifice love for creativity? In my present state of being, that would be the crucial inquiry.
In the end, Brenda, honour the Muse such as the Mystery of its' Inspiration comes to you. This is the most important thing~this is your spirit inspiring you~through whatever form it takes.
Blessings~laurieglynn
Postscript} I googled Moonspeak for a lark this morning and I think it has something to do with Reverend Moon!!! Oh my, imagine my dismay!!! But there was a prairie poem with the title, which was quite nice. Anyway, I took down the entry in fear of it looking strange. And I thought I had found a concept~and it was really quite silly of me to have thought so. LOL
I tried to comment earlier but Blogger's been buggy again!
ReplyDeleteI would imagine that inspiration is a very personal thing. That's why I explicitly couched my previous comment in terms of "for me." I do believe everyone must be different in this! To me it's a little analogous to spiritual beliefs that way, the individual paths we must take... And so it's up to us to find whatever path works.
As for muse gender, I can't really speak to that. Because I find that while relationships may trigger inspirations, and they definitely can do that for me, my sense is still that they are merely triggers and the real source of the inspiration, the source of the process, is beyond us both, far deeper. For me.
...But you, Brenda, certainly seem to find a wealth of inspiration to breathe life into your gifts. So do you really need to question it? Maybe yes, maybe no. Only you know the answer to that.
My sense of what and where my muse is, developed (and continues to develop) over time, through noticing carefully what is happening in those moments of inspiration the better to understand my individual process. I really think that, in the end, is the true key: we must come to understand how we, individually, work... so that as artists we can work with ourselves better.
Suzanne, that's beautifully said, and your muses are as rich as your poetry is. And, sigh, perhaps I wish I had a group of wimmin too... I've asked this question in writer's groups from time to time, and many, if not most, creative women seem have a female muse. Which feels right. Even in psychology both sexies, in final estimatation, refer to the mother, the primal figure. And I think my maternal body writing/poetry doesn't have a male muse. So I would ask if different types of writing are inspired by different psychic sources? Earth-sea being my maternal muse; the anima, who's constantly changing, being my love poetry...
ReplyDeleteLaurieglynn, I think you & I have been tossing this question around for awhile. I am enamoured of the way you talk about a character, who is surely fashioned after a male who becomes a muse for that character, who you fall in love with, dreaming, walking, eating, sleeping that character. When the muse rises brightly in the consciousness like the full moon and allows one's creativity to flourish in the darkness, in the secret and fecund places from where it arises most strongly to meet the coming day, the stark light of the sun. It is a mystery, our creativity, as you say, and yes, it's beautiful and a gift and not to be questioned too.
Moonspeak is yours, my dear. It doesn't matter who else might or might not have used it, you use it in a specific context and thus have made it all your own. I love the idea of moonspeak from the margins...
MB, ah, beautiful poet, when you write of the deeper inspiration, what is beyond relationships, it sounds so lush, and rich and free. Not as coloured by individuals as my work is, nor as dependent on their goodwill.
I have never mastered the art of writing for the self or the world; I write for thou, you, and that is coloured, filtered by feelings I have for certain people, where my heart opens out. Through this I hope to touch the intimate, personal, individual. Not the many but the one, the one who is reading. In my "aesthetic of intimacy" there is the sense of unique individual, precious person, solitary soul, of relating to each other through the vastness. For me, there is nothing outside of relationship. Absolutely nothing.
Now see, beautiful MB, how far you've made me reach to express this. That's a gift, and I thank you.
As I thank all of you for this interesting discussion, one crucial to our creativity perhaps.
Stories I will tell my daughter...
Having commented before, and thought further, and now reading your response... I'll add that at times my muse feels like a vast underground river, or a very deep well, or some sort of taproot that runs infinitely deep to... elsewhere. But those descriptions are only an attempt to put into words what I feel. They don't adequately define it, nor should they be taken literally. Oh, I wish I had better words! I think part of the reason I don't is that I don't fully understand it myself, can't wrap my mind around the vastness and depth and lack of form that is... what it is. Mystery!
ReplyDeleteStriking profile pic, Suzanne!
ReplyDeleteThat's a beautiful metaphor for your creativity, MB!
Most inspiring, thank you...
For me, the muse is a chamaleon (sp?). The shape it takes depends on the work. Sometimes male, sometimes female, sometimes old, sometimes young, sometimes clearly a lost part of myself, other times an apparent stranger who has infiltrated my dreams, the muse is a source of constant surprise.
ReplyDeleteYour writing is so sensual and honest; I can imagine many men would love an opportunity to be your muse.
Patry, oh chameleons! I LOVE chameleons. I played with them for hours on end, days, years, as a child in Zambia. They were my favourites... and they taught me how to handle diverse social situations. That the stunning chameleon is a metaphor for your muse is, well, stunning. How lovely. And versatile. That's perhaps why you can write in so many different styles and for so many different purposes. And, yes, "the muse is a source of constant surprise."
ReplyDeleteAnd men, ah Patry, more in my imagination than in reality. Though if I think back over the years, yes, always someone holding that central position. The Beloved, perhaps in a Sufi devotional sense.
Now I cannot think of you other than a dancing rainbow, metamorphosizing, transforming sensual smart creative woman creating and creating... !