by Renton de Alwis
"The Muses are all of one mind, their hearts are set upon song and their spirit is free from care. He is happy whom the Muses love. For though a man has sorrow and grief in his soul, yet when the servant of the Muses sings, at once he forgets his dark thoughts and remembers not his troubles. Such is the holy gift of the Muses to men."
Hesiod - the Greek epic poet who probably lived around 700 B.C.
The Greeks
poorer today
for they, muse
not with thought
or carefree song
but with stuff pecuniary
much greed stuffed
Pix Credit: Google Images
"The Muses are all of one mind, their hearts are set upon song and their spirit is free from care. He is happy whom the Muses love. For though a man has sorrow and grief in his soul, yet when the servant of the Muses sings, at once he forgets his dark thoughts and remembers not his troubles. Such is the holy gift of the Muses to men."
Hesiod - the Greek epic poet who probably lived around 700 B.C.
The Greeks
poorer today
for they, muse
not with thought
or carefree song
but with stuff pecuniary
much greed stuffed
Zeus and his wife Mnemosyne
I thank thee
for giving me
your lovely daughters
to sing and dance with
nine in all, not one less, not one more
Pierus came to Thespiae with them
to sing, to dance, to make merry
fly spirited, fly free,
sing spirited, sing free
dance spirited, dance free
An Oracle laid
show off Pierus to be wise
even said, were his granddaughters
Muses, not of Zeus
gentle and sweet
fly petals of bloom
on clouds roam
dance ye on an olive bush
please, please not Gods, but men
Come! Calliope, tell tales of yore
in verse, in song with poetic grace
I thank thee
for giving me
your lovely daughters
to sing and dance with
nine in all, not one less, not one more
Pierus came to Thespiae with them
to sing, to dance, to make merry
fly spirited, fly free,
sing spirited, sing free
dance spirited, dance free
An Oracle laid
show off Pierus to be wise
even said, were his granddaughters
Muses, not of Zeus
gentle and sweet
fly petals of bloom
on clouds roam
dance ye on an olive bush
please, please not Gods, but men
Come! Calliope, tell tales of yore
in verse, in song with poetic grace
Clio come! sing of kings and queens
heaven’s treachery and pain, losses and gain
heaven’s treachery and pain, losses and gain
Erato, of love, endless love, dipped
in poetic zeal, passion oh! Passion
in poetic zeal, passion oh! Passion
Euterpe, seek the rhymes of hearts
to give, to get, to feel and touch
to give, to get, to feel and touch
Sad! Melpomene, bring tears with love
on tombs lay wreaths of rejoice
on tombs lay wreaths of rejoice
Holy
thee! Polyhymnia, sing songs
of praise of Gods, sing divine
of praise of Gods, sing divine
Terpsichore, you float with ease
on dance floors, grace, such grace
on dance floors, grace, such grace
Oh! Sweet Thalia, you make me laugh
your sweet tales of jesters in Gods
your sweet tales of jesters in Gods
Urania, gape at stars, Saturn and Mars
Moon’s soft feel, for Jupiter’s call
Moon’s soft feel, for Jupiter’s call
Dance ye all! Dance till fall of night
into the wee hours of the morn
Muse ye all! Muse to your heart’s content
fill me with joy, make me sing! make me dance!
into the wee hours of the morn
Muse ye all! Muse to your heart’s content
fill me with joy, make me sing! make me dance!
Written
on the early morn of Sunday 6th December 2012, listening to drops of
falling rain, recalling a journey made with ‘The Muses’ over forty five years ago, with my Guru, The
late Reggie Siriwardene and the stark inspiration I drew then, from his poem 'Colonial
Cameo'.
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