A Visit from the Nine Muses

On Monday I finished and won my third National Novel Writing Month challenge! I planned on returning to the blogosphere next week, but I figured I may as well get back to posting now. This past weekend I decorated for Christmas! So last night with such festive cheer all around and my most recent novel-writing triumph, I was inspired to write a NaNoWriMo poem in the style of Clement C. Moore’s famous A Visit from St. Nicholas. The speaker represents all writers, though I admit the snoring husband is based on my own, heehee. I hope you enjoy it!

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A Visit from the Nine Muses 

by Laura Marcella

’Twas the night before NaNoWriMo’s end

And with 50,000 words just around the bend,

I was up late aimlessly surfing online

Knowing I couldn’t possibly finish on time.

My husband was snoring, sound asleep in our bed,

While visions of failure prowled around in my head.

I couldn’t do it, no more ideas. Where are you, oh Muse?

I shouldn’t be a writer. I know I will lose.

I checked the clock, ’twas an hour ’til midnight,

Decided to give up and turn off the light,

When all of a sudden my door flew widely open

And into my office glided nine ethereal women.

One stood before me, a writing tablet in her hand,

And said, “I’m the first-born Muse of the Greek land.”

“My name is Calliope,” she continued, her voice so stern,

“You, dear writer, have much to learn.

“It’s not the quantity or end result we value here

But in the quality of the journey. Do I make myself clear?”

She stepped aside and said with a smile,

“Let my first sister Clio explain more for awhile.”

Clio stepped forward, holding an armful of scrolls.

She said, “You think you’re the only one with incomplete goals?

Thousands of writers before you in history

Have faced a blank page with frustrating misery.

“Yet they persisted, their courage didn’t abate,

No matter if they had to meet a deadline too late.”

A third woman, with a club in her hand and a mask on her face,

Said to me, “Some days you’ll for sure be in last place.

“But I, Melpomene, the Muse of great tragedy,

Was once the Muse of joyful singing and glee.

I know sometimes you’ll be favored, sometimes not,

The important thing is to never give up on your heart’s plot.”

A fourth woman, smiling brighter than the North Star’s light,

Laughed and said, “I am Euterpe, the Muse of delight!

Have joy in all that you write, in all that you do,

And enchanting thoughts will come forth from you.”

She stepped aside for a fifth Muse holding a lyre.

“I am Erato,” she said, “And I sense your fear.”

She looked at me keenly, on her shoulder sat a turtledove.

“I’m here to inspire you to words of passion and love.”

Behind her another Muse danced around the room.

She said, “You’re having trouble writing, I assume?

My name is Terpsichore and I’m here to proclaim

To despair and give up is a path to no author fame.”

The seventh Muse said, “It is true, I am Urania,

I see an intense passion for stories, you’re a bibliomania.

If you channel that energy into your heart

There’ll be no problems with your novel’s last part.”

Suddenly laughter, long and loud, filled the room.

An eighth Muse said, “I’m Thalia, I know nothing of gloom.

Yet I’ve been around a while and know very well

All writers sometimes feel as if this is hell.”

A ninth woman entered, at her mouth she held a finger,

Pensively she said, “No longer can we linger.

I am Polyhymnia, on your story I’ll help you meditate.

When you awake you’ll see your novel won’t be late.”

The youngest Muse put her hands on my head.

“You must sleep now,” she said. “Off you go to your bed.

When you awake, we’ll be back in our native Greece

But when you awake, you will have a masterpiece.”

I slept, I must have, I dreamed a great dream.

When I awoke I dashed to my computer screen.

A 50,000 word manuscript written, perfect and done,

My NaNoWriMo profile in purple meant I had won!

And on my desk I see from Calliope and Euterpe, Melpomene and Urania,

With Clio, Erato and Polyhymnia, Terpsichore and Thalia

Was a note addressed not only to me but to all writers like you:

“Happy writing to all, and to all bestsellers and fortune for you!”

© 2011 LauraMarcella.blogspot.com All Rights Reserved

Good luck to those still finishing your NaNo novels! Perhaps you’ll get a special visit from the Muses tonight. ;)