My Winking Muse

Ariette Singer

Palmerston, Canberra

Australia

Evolve, Devolve, Revolve Competition Entry

Thalia, my winking Muse, loves to amuse!
How can I ever such fun-filled times refuse?
When she entertains me in her unique style
I, in return, love clowning for her—in mine!

We have become good friends, my Muse and I.
Her visits never fail to cause great excitation
When she brings new threads of magic inspiration.
She trusts me to wisely use her precious load
Of novel notions, words and matching music notes
Within my spacious and most eager mind to float.

My Thoughts come and go, but those confident
Of their importance, remain and firmly insist
To be typed onto screen—which I rarely resist!
Once I oblige, they’re content they’ll be read,
And knowing well my rules, are quite prepared
To go through my selection process, and accept
That only the best I’ll carefully select or reject.

My Words, perched on my mental trees,
Wait patiently to be picked out by fussy me
At the right time and the right place,
So no jealousies exist in my mind-space!
I aim to give all words exposure chances,
And like old friends, they trust my choices.
But I’m most grateful and my heart rejoices
When, sensing I am stuck, a clever word
Flies to my aid eagerly—of its own accord!

My Music Notes made my mind their cosy home,
And amaze me when into melodies they form!
I scribble or type, or play and record in haste—
To lose inspired gems would be a tragic waste!
But, when I’m unable to capture on Record—
To console, new tunes form! So, I’m never bored!

My Words, Thoughts and Notes are always with me
And I am most grateful for their lovely company!
As long as in my mental space happily they roam,
I know I’m alive, with my grey cells in good form!
At great times when creative juices flow so well—
My dirty dishes must be patient—not dare to rebel!

And when each time a new poem or a song evolves
My gratitude to my sweet Muse even stronger grows
For her irresistible attentions
And productive interventions.
I hope this collaboration will be life-long!
I’ll always need her services for my creation—
Without them, I’m bound to get it wrong …

But … one day, Thalia might think it’s not quite fair
To grant me so much of her precious presence,
While there are greater artists here and there
Waiting, thumbs twiddling, to be touched by her …
Of course, I’ll understand … she can’t discriminate!
Well, I’ll catch up with my housework, while I wait …

Without Muses our World would be too prosaic;
With lives cluttered with Boredom and Bad Taste—
The Muses, to prevent it, descend on us in haste!
They provide that magic fuel of high passions
That inspires artists to paint, sculpt, choreograph,
Dance, write, compose music and photograph
For the World to admire, acquire, criticise and love.

Yes, we owe much beauty to loyal services of Muses,
Who’ve proved their ‘worth and being’, and who insist
That they—yes, like fairies, most undeniably, exist!