It has long been observed that whilst the ego is useful in making daily and ordinary decisions in our life, it is less effective when it comes to more important issues; it is by nature competitive, and it tends to subordinate the greater good for more immediate gains and self-gratification. We know as well thatContinue reading “Poetry and the Muses Part 3”
Tag Archives: Poetry
Poetry and the Muses Part 2
The Muses we understand from Part 1 of this article are the daughters of the future and the past, and more specifically of memory, light, truth and beauty; they are essential for the ‘good life’, and we understand as well that because they are goddesses, they cannot be summoned by human will, but they canContinue reading “Poetry and the Muses Part 2”
Wolfe and Other Poems by Donald Mace Williams
Wolfe and Other Poems is an extraordinarily good collection of poems, clearly written by a veteran writer. The underlying credo of the collection is very aptly summed up in the opening poem called, appropriately, 'Credo': Step out under the stars on a dark night Or open Rilke, Frost, or Dickinson. Like that, all poems (mineContinue reading “Wolfe and Other Poems by Donald Mace Williams”
Poetry and the Muses Part 1
We live in a post-modernist world and its values are everywhere around us; and everywhere these values are almost largely unexamined, and because we have little to contrast our present state with we fail to see how lamentable and poor we are. There is a deep materialism running through society which deprives people of theContinue reading “Poetry and the Muses Part 1”
Review: Apocalypse by Frederick Turner
There are nine Muses of poetry, daughters of Zeus or some say Apollo, and the Titaness, Mnenosyne, goddess of memory, past and future. And of these nine the most important is Kalliope, she of the Lovely Voice, and the muse of epic poetry; and she is considered by Hesiod and others, rightly in my opinion,Continue reading “Review: Apocalypse by Frederick Turner”
Review: The Parliament of Poets by Frederick Glaysher, Earthrise Press, 2012
Frederick Glaysher claims to be an epic poet, and furthermore to have written an epic poem, The Parliament of Poets. This is a huge claim and an astonishing ambition. Is he? Has he? Before responding to these two important questions by reviewing his book, let me outline why I think this is such a bigContinue reading “Review: The Parliament of Poets by Frederick Glaysher, Earthrise Press, 2012”
To Rhyme or Not to Rhyme?
Imagine that you were lost in a wilderness and had to find your way out. Fortunately, you have with you a number of things, or tools if you will. In the first instance you have a kitbag, which is itself useful. Within it are various articles: a bottle of water, a knife, fork and spoon,Continue reading “To Rhyme or Not to Rhyme?”
Two Plus One Reasons to Write Poetry – #3
People write from their ego and produce not-poetry; people write to heal themselves and this is good and meaningful; and thirdly, and more famously, people write poetry because they write poetry and produce art. And a number key factors come together when this happens. First, the third desire – for beauty – comes into playContinue reading “Two Plus One Reasons to Write Poetry – #3”
Two Plus One Reasons to Write Poetry – #2
The second primary reason to write poetry is to heal, oneself first of all, and others secondarily, if they able to read your words and take strength from, and identify with, your situation. Healing and poetry have been soul mates from the beginning: the god Apollo was the god of healing and the father ofContinue reading “Two Plus One Reasons to Write Poetry – #2”
Two Plus One Reasons to Write Poetry – #1
There are two plus one primary reasons to write poetry, which is not to say three; all numbers may or may not be equal, but reasons certainly are not. There are good reasons, and less good ones for all sorts of things. I am excited myself by good reasons to write poetry, and groan whenContinue reading “Two Plus One Reasons to Write Poetry – #1”
The Mapping Motivation Series 