WE ARE NOT A MUSE

WE ARE NOT A MUSE
by
Paul T. Abramson

According to Greek mythology, there are nine muses. I cannot seem to find any of them. Those nine goddesses that preside over the arts and sciences seem to be ignoring me. Perhaps they are playing a game with me – a game of Hide and Seek.

The players are:

1) Calliope: Epic poetry

2) Clio: History

3) Erato: Song, love poetry

4) Euterpe: Lyric poetry, music

5) Melpomene: Tragedy

6) Polymnia: Sacred poetry

7) Terpsichore: Dance

8) Thalia: Comedy

9) Urania: Astronomy

These goddesses, who throughout the ages have inspired famous writers, artists, musicians, poets, scientists and leaders, are hiding from me.

Where will I find my muse? At a museum? In music? At an amusement park?

Perhaps the question should be, “Do the muses really exist?” If they do not exist, what sparks imagination?

I shall begin my search by asking myself, “What fascinates me?” I will make a list. This list is not in any particular order except for what is coming to my mind first. Perhaps this is because the muses were the daughters of Mnemosyne, the goddess of memory. What do these items have in common?

1) Lighthouses,

2) Vintage amusement park rides, especially antique carousels,

3) The California missions,

4) Vintage/antique toys,

5) Vintage advertising items such as signs and boxes,

6) Classic cartoons, especially anything Walt Disney made prior to 1960,

7) The origin of the romance languages,

8) Vineyards,

9) The classic fairy tales when read in their original text

There are nine items on what could be an endless list.

What do these items have in common?

1) Lighthouses have for many centuries shined a beacon of hope and safety to people through calm and stormy times.

2) Antique carousels are all of the arts rolled into one. They are paintings, sculpture, music and motion. Along with other vintage amusement park rides, they move me back in time.

3) The California missions, many of which are still serving their intended purpose, represent the history of my homeland.

4) Toys are an important part of childhood. Whether or not they are toys I played with, they brought joy to a child and evoke memories. What was your favorite toy?

5) Vintage advertising items such as posters, print-ads and signs are signs-of-times past. They tell me where we have been and perhaps give me a clue as to where we are going. It has a greater value to me if the product advertised still exists.

My grandfather had an old sign on his wall. It consisted of Japanese characters. For a long time, we did not know what it said until somebody who spoke Japanese translated it. Drink Coca Cola.

6) Anybody who knows me knows that classic cartoons, especially those by my hero, Walt Disney, should most likely be number one on my list. Somebody sat down, drew this and made it come to life. I am overjoyed when I see an animated film made by people who, like me, long for the golden age of animation.

7) Although English is not a romance language, it is heavily influenced by those that are. English is my native tongue. When spoken properly it is very beautiful. I believe that knowledge of the origin of the words I speak is a very useful tool.

8) A vineyard gives me the same emotion as that of a lighthouse or the California missions. They bring to mind history and tranquility.

9) The classic fairy tales in their original text give me a glimpse at how my culture and native language have evolved. Unfortunately, they have been edited and censored over the ages.

What do these items have in common? They bring back emotions of times long ago. They are nostalgic. They are history.

Oh, my goddess! It’s Clio. Clio, the goddess of history, is my muse. I have found her!

Have you found your muse?