Who is your muse?
We write many types of poetry and in many styles. Does our poetry brand us? Does it pigeonhole us into one particular kind of poetry? In ancient Greek mythology, poetry, and literature, the muses were believed to be goddesses who inspired the creation of literature and the arts.
According to Wikipedia, “In one myth King Pierus, once king of Macedon, had nine daughters he named after the nine muses, believing that their skills were a great match to the Muses (mousi). He thus challenged the Muses to a match, resulting in his daughters being turned into magpies and jackdaws. In Greek Mythology these nine daughters of the king usually are referred to as the Pierides.”
The muses are as follows:
Muse                     Domain                     Emblem
Calliope                 Epic poetry               Writing tablet
Clio                       History                     Scrolls
Erato                     Lyric /love poetry       Cithara (similar to a lyre, but larger)
Euterpe                  Music                       Aulos (a reed pipe similar to an oboe)
Melpomene            Tragedy                     Tragic mask
Polyhymnia            Choral/sacred poetry   Veil
Terpsichore             Dance                      Lyre
Thalia                     Comedy                    Comic mask
Urania                    Astronomy                Globe and compass

Think about which muse your poetry most frequently resembles and what emblem you might choose as your own.
Don’t challenge your muse!