Inspiration

Last month I received my artwork muse at the Mutual Muses potluck. I received a photograph of a beautiful assemblage by Cape artist Heather Blume. Today I went to the Cahoon Museum of Art, expecting to hear her give a gallery talk. Unfortunately I was mistaken about the date; it was yesterday.

So I went into the gallery anyway and viewed the original assemblage that was my muse. I had gotten a few ideas by looking at the photograph, but the original art itself was much more inspiring. I could feel the emotion with which the two figures in the sculpture are looking skyward. It is a beautiful mixed-media piece with two figures covered in rice paper looking up. They are beside an abstract tree-like screen. It is lovely and expressive.

I stood and gazed at it for a while. I crouched down and looked at it from below. I was reminded of the time, in 1957 -- 55 years ago -- that my father pointed out to me the first artificial satellite, Sputnik. He said it would change my life, and it did. I went back to my office and wrote a poem about it. I think that is exactly how Mutual Muses is supposed to work. Art inspired poetry. I won't post the poem here yet because I am not sure it is done. It is still shifting a little in my mind. However it ends up. I love the feeling of being inspired by a work of art to write a poem.

Dec. 12 evening check-in:

Writing: Yes I wrote a poem!

Running: No. Maybe tomorrow

Meditation: Yes, I did sitting meditation briefly in my office.