Musing

My muse has deserted me. Well, to be truthful, she/they were never here.

I have always wanted to be 'creative'.  I used to write poetry; I have started, and never finished, short stories, articles, possible novels. I have attended classes in painting, ceramics, weaving, drawing, photography. My lack of success can't be because I am totally lacking in any sort of talent .... can it?
The closest I've come to any of the Muses lately was in Turkey earlier this year:

Ephesus, April 2010 - Nike

The Muses in mythology were the fickle goddesses who inspired literature and the arts; they were the origins of the knowledge found in stories, lyrics, paintings, drama.  There were 3 of them ... or 9.

In one myth, King Pierus of Macedonia, had nine daughters named after the nine Muses, believing that their skills were equal to the demi-goddesses'. On his daughters' behalf, he challenged the Muses to a competition - which resulted in a loss for his girls, and a transformation into magpies for being so cheeky:

" ............................ beneath their nails

Feathers they feel, and on their faces scales:

Their horny beaks at once each other scare;

Their arms are plumed, and on their backs they bear

Pied wings, and flutter in the fleeting air: "

(Ovid, Metamorphoses Bk V)

Rosso Fiorentino's depiction of this event is in the Louvre Museum:

'The Contest of the Peirides' Rosso Fiorentino 1494-1540

Of course, the word Museum itself comes from the same origins as muse: via Latin from Greek mouseion 'seat of the Muses', based on mousa 'muse'


Of course #2 - while I'm typing this post, I'm listening to one of my very favourite bands:

Kia ora
 

Alexia