Muse II 2007

Muse II. Invoking the Muses: Some Unsolicited Advice

First off- you’re supposed to:
Work hard. Play hard. Do what’s right.
Fight the good fight.
Feed and raise the kids.
Be an interested, patient and generous lover.
Pay bills. Pay taxes. Volunteer after work,
be a good neighbor, bring in the wood
get the news, remember to vote,
read something useful, change the oil in the car,
weed the garden, take the trash to the dump,
answer the phone and e-mail, collect the eggs,
walk the dog, get the stray cow back in,
do the laundry, fix the broken, clean the dirty,
and put in the hours to invoke the creative genius
to write, draw, paint, carve, pot, sew, sing, play music,
study, invent, design, cook, theorize, philosophize,
politic, mediate, organize, attack, surrender,
deconstruct, reorganize, police, pacify, obfuscate,
agitate, motivate, evaluate, medicate, doctor,
hawk, cop, wrench, fix, build, fund,
meet, drive, pray for the world,
and all the other 10,000 things
that makes for a rich and rewarding incarnation,
then get ready for work tomorrow,
hope bombs don’t fall tonight…..
Carry on with conviction.

Next thing, is to be a little bad and do nothing, spaciously.
Let the senses be
up front timelessly
if just for a little while.
Now let the mind relax and spacious be
as nature there flows endlessly.
The Muse’s mind spring
knows the words
to all the songs
the Universe can sing
and will make perfect use
of your destiny and give direction.
Sleep soundly. Dream. Dream. Dream.
Then dream up the dream
in words and images each morning.
Ply psyche’s gifts of wisdom, warning,
correction and affirmation.
Live accordingly. Pay attention.

These simple things one needs to know
for a balanced life and creative flow.
But its one thing to say and know alright,
another to live each day and night.
Too much work or too much play
It’s OK - vacancy or pain
will point the way to correction.

And another thing -
for this unsolicited advice
is almost spent for now.
Though your work might be
rough before it’s elegant and nice
you’ll be blind and deaf to her inspiration
if too busy obsessing about perfection.

Just live and love well enough.
Just begin it, let yourself be teachable
evolve, and pass it on
to whoever’s waiting in the wings.
Be used up gladly by the end.
Does it matter if you’ll be worm food,
invisibly enlightened,
and loved that way
or famously celebrated by your people
or publicly crucified
and readied for resurrection?

Historically, the wise ones have said
look, here is how it works:
If you work hard and are industrious,
and you also take time out for Musing,
The Muses will inspire you,
energize and direct you
in the execution and delivery of your passions.

And remember -you never get to BE the Muse,
It doesn’t come from you it comes through you.
Even if you are the greatest channel
of Muse seductive genius,
it all disappears if you start thinking
you have in fact become that divine yourself.
One has to make the proper offerings
to the Muses, remain in correct relation
to receive their benevolence
because history has shown
if you directly put your own greatness
to the challenge of any god or goddess
Muses included - you miss the point
and you and your inspiration
will die miserably – no exceptions.

So bring mead, bread, milk and honey
to her alter in the lush green fields
near the bubbling springs of the wood.
Meander, day dream and play there
in the midst of all of your works
and your best work
will be all of your life.
May it be so - and amusing too.