Life's Goddess

There is a side of life that has been ignored, overlooked, ridiculed, chastised, judged and even feared for many centuries in patriarchal societies around the world. Presently the problem is inflamed due to the farce declaration of equality and respect within an increasingly global culture based on capitalism and independence, which has no real respect for the deep, dark, feminine elements of life. She was removed from religions centuries ago. Her abilities of creation have been chained down whilst Her powers of destruction are feared and attacked. Humanity’s feminine nature is degraded in our fast, materialistic world that is always doing and leaves no time for being. Many modern people live their entire lives giving little homage to the feminine elements of life. These individuals never know the bounty of her harvests, which fill one’s heart with joy and strength. However, Life’s Goddess lives on through many talented and insightfully grounded poets throughout time. She shines especially bright through the artistic poetry of three strong women and one grounded man. Each poem relates to a different aspect of Her, but they are unified in their connection and devotion to the feminine elements of life.

The first poem selected is “Coal” by Audre Lorde, a black feminist born in New York in 1934 (Ferguson et al., 1752). Her poetry was influenced by myths and legends of struggle and survival from Africa and America. Lorde’s comprehension of the feminine elements of life was surely broadened by her study of stories of people from different places and different times. In Women Who Run With the Wolves, Clarissa Pinkola Estes searches for myths of the “Wild Woman” which have been muffled by civilization. She finds the Wild Woman in La Loba as the Wolf Woman who is the “Mother-Creator-God of all beings and doings” (Estes, 20). The feminine side takes on many different forms, and this poem describes the deepest, darkest, most powerful side of the feminine. Coal is used to describe this side of the Goddess not only because it is pitch black and originates within the earth, but also because under immense pressure it is transformed into perhaps the most beautiful stone ever, a diamond.

The first three lines clearly name the force which is speaking through the words of the poet. “I” is described as the “total black” which comes “from the earth’s inside” (stanza 1, lines 1, 2 & 3). The next stanza consists of four lines, with the first line declaring “there are many kinds of open” (stanza 2, line 1). There are many ways for the feminine force of life to be expressed out in the open. However, the last two lines of the stanza remind us that the expression of life that emerges is influenced “by who pays what for speaking” (stanza 2, line 4). In other words, people are shaped by the powers they try to please. The third stanza focuses on all the different types of words. Words of truth spoken from the heart “are open like a diamond,” while other words are forced and false like “stapled wagers” (stanza 3, lines 1 & 4). These false words are spoken to please others and do not flow freely. Some words “live in my throat” waiting till just the right moment to burst forward, while others need to be spoken so badly right now that they burst forth “like gypsies over my tongue” exploding “through my lips” (stanza 3, lines 11 & 12). Still other words “bedevil me,” bursting out at unexpected times and leaving everyone including the person who spoke them contemplating the deeper meanings (stanza 3, line 15).

The last stanza returns to the ideas presented in the first stanza. "I" is the voice speaking. "I" is Her, the deep, dark, earthly, goddess: mother, seductress, healer, creator, destroyer. She is “Black” because she comes from the “earth’s inside,” not only physically, but also mentally, emotionally and spiritually (stanza 4, line 3). The earth symbolizes a life-containing vessel, like the human body. She lives in our core, our inner most being. She is our source of  life and love. The first line, “love is a word, another kind of open,” illustrates how this force of the depths can be expressed through love, “as the diamond comes into a knot of flame” (stanza 4, lines 1 & 2). Looking at and reacting to the world with love turns everythings into diamonds eventually in one way or another. When the dark feminine nature speaks in the “open light” her words are “jewel(s)” that should be revered (stanza 4, line 4). This poem was written in 1976 during the feminist movement. The original spark of the seventies seems to have been a bit smothered by the ego of the modern woman who is playing the boys’ game of winners and losers.

“You Begin,” by Margaret Atwood is a beautifully puzzling poem that requires time and patience to understand (Ferguson et al., 1785). Atwood explains the origin of life and unveils the true identity of all human souls in a brilliantly abstract way that is colorful and illustrative. Each of the first three stanzas contain one or more colors which represent the theme of the stanza. Blue and yellow are the colors of the first stanza, which describes the beginning of life and its true nature. Blue flowing waters and brightly energized yellow sunshine are the fundamental forces which join together to create life. The forth line, describing a fish as “blue and flat” invokes an evolutionary image of man originating in the sea as a round glob with big round reflective eyes (stanza 1, line 4). Our physical side, as breathtaking and powerful as it is, is still one-dimensional when compared to the fullness of our spiritual side which makes life three-dimensional.

Atwood seems to suggest life was created to see when she notes how the shape of the fish resembles the “shape of an eye” (stanza 1, line 6). When Atwood states “you begin this way” in the first line of the poem, she means that we each are life and we begin where life begins, if there ever was a beginning to begin with (stanza 1, line 1). When she declares “this is your hand” and “this is your eye” she means life gives you the ability to manipulate your world and see it in all its vastness, not only physically but emotionally and spiritually (stanza 1, lines 2 & 3). Our hands and our eyes reveal our true nature and give our lives a purpose.

In the last three lines of the first stanza Atwood employs several circular symbols: a mouth, an O and the moon. Like a circle life is completely interconnected and has no visible beginning or end but goes on for eternity in a circular motion: birth, life, death, rebirth, and so forth. These symbols are presented as choices, which symbolize the way life gives us all choices, some of which lead to the same end. The last sentence states, “this is yellow,” which summarizes what life is: yellow, bright, energetic and full of possibilities (stanza 1, line 9).

The second stanza is colored green and illustrative of rain, plants and summer time. This six line stanza describes the structure of the world in a simple way, showing how it begins in the center and stretches out in different directions, like a radius emitting from the center of a sphere. In the center it is simple and fundamental, made of only “nine crayons,” but as one sees in the fifth stanza, the world really “has more colors / than we can see” (stanza 2, line 6 & stanza 5, lines 2 & 3). Towards the center is the foundation of life which is simple and elemental, but as life sprouts outward it becomes vast and complex. There are only nine colors in the inner core, but the colors are endless in the outer realms.

Red and orange are the colors of the third stanza which deals with the anger and frustrations of the world. The world is “difficult” and “burns” due to its vast complexity, and Atwood assures us it only natural to feel weary and depressed at times (stanza 3, lines 2 & 5). She tells us we “are right to smudge it that way / with the red and then / the orange: the world burns” (stanza 3, lines 3-5). The problems of the world are connected to the complexity of the world, which is infinite, making the problems of the world much too big for any one person to deal with. However, at the same time, the complexity of our connected world demands that each and every one of us deals with the problems of the world.

The fourth stanza pulls the first three stanzas together, going back to the beginning to realize that once you know it all, you’ll know there’s more than you could ever know. Once you see the connection of all of life you will understand that the meaning of life is grand and vast and beyond your comprehension. Everything in the world is connected and our connections ground us in life, like how the “word hand floats above your hand” and "anchors/ your hand” (stanza 4, lines 4, 6 & 7). “Your hand is a warm stone” that generates heat and grounds you (stanza 4, line 8). Our hands connect us to each other, holding us together and giving us stability and the warmth of love.

The fifth stanza simplifies the complexity of life by showing how we are all the same and we are all life: “This is your hand, these are my hands, this is the world” (stanza 5, line1). Atwood describes the world as “round but not flat” referring back to the first stanza and the blue, flat fish. The words and ideas describing life are simple and one-dimensional compared to the fullness and complexity of the world. The last stanza suggests that your life has a beginning and an end, but in the end “you will / come back to” that which you came, the beginning, “your hand,” or simply life itself. MargaretAtwood grew up in Canada where she spent a lot of time in the woods with Mother Nature. She is best know for her novels, but she also writes children’s stories, short stories and critical essays. Her writing considers the roles of women and the role of power in relationships. “You Begin” was written in 1978, during the feminist uprising and near Atwood’s fortieth birthday.

The third poem that echoed the deep, hidden feminine nature of life is “Prayer” by Dana Gioia who was born in 1950 and raised in a suburb of L.A. (Ferguson et al., 1845). Gioia strives to achieve tension and the element of surprise in his poems, which would be much more difficult if he did not have such a strong connection to the deep, dark, hidden feminine elements of life. This poem consists of six stanzas. The first five stanzas have three lines each, while the last stanza has only one lonely line. The first stanza uses three symbols to illustrate the dark, shadowy aspects of life that are difficult to see or hear. These feminine elements of life hide in the corners and the shadows like a “footstep / in the alleyway” (stanza 1, lines 1 & 2). The next stanza describes the Goddess as the creator of connections and appreciator of the fruits of life which she harvest swiftly and surely. She is the “jeweler of the spider web” and the “connoisseur / of autumn’s opulence” who wields her power as fast and as fierce as the lightening (stanza 2, lines 1 & 2). She harvests the world. She is the one who decides when it is time for what, when it is time to come or go, for she is the “keeper of the small gate” and the “choreographer / of entrance and exits” (stanza 3, lines 1 & 2). She speaks to us in whispers, in our dreams, and in the deep, dark parts of our mind and feelings like a “midnight / whisper traveling the wires” (stanza 3, lines 2 & 3).

She takes on several roles including “seducer, healer, deity or thief” (stanza 4, line 1).  She seduces us with her overflowing passion for life. She heals us with her love and understanding. She is a goddess capable of great feats, but she is also a thief who steals our glow as she fades away. She is found in the most precious, fleeting moments, like the “brief violet darkening a sunset” (stanza 5, line 1). We find her again and again, but again and again she leaves us wanting more. We need her to guide and protect our inner hero, our inner savior who has the strength to save us during our darkest moments, but who has not yet come to fruition. Our inner hero must be guarded like “a mountain guards its covert ore / and the harsh falcon its flightless young” and she is the only one capable of completing the task (stanza 5, line 3 & stanza 6, line 1).

“Syrinx,” by Amy Clampitt, is the last poem chosen to illustrate the buried bones of the feminine realm (Ferguson et al., 1845). Clampitt, who was born and raised in Iowa, did not publish any poetry until 1982 at the age of sixty-three. The syrinx is the “vocal organ of birds named after the Arcadian mountain nymph in Greek mythology” who was transformed into a reed in order to protect her chastity from Pan (Ferguson et al., 1845). Pan made the panpipe, or syrinx, from the reed. The first stanza, consisting of eighteen lines, considers the meaning of the bird’s song when it originates from the “Aeoloian / syrinx, that reed / in the throat of a bird” (stanza 1, lines 6-8). The bird’s song can take on so many meanings that it is “too impressive for consensus / about what it even seems to / be saying… much less whether a bird’s call / means anything in / particular, or at all” (stanza 1, lines 11-13 & 16-18). The syrinx is symbolic for the spiritual force which turns our words into diamonds that shine in various directions when we give in to the feminine powers of life. One simple phrase takes flight when it takes on many different meanings to many different people, leaving one confused, wondering what the original meaning was, or if there even was one.

In the Heroine’s Journey Maureen Murdock discusses how “woman’s words” can “influence the experience of others“ through myths and images of the "sacred feminine” (pg. 147). As the syrinx’s instinctive words are etched into culture they give birth to renewal, transforming us through healing powers which accept everything and blame no one, yet also urge us to dig for the gold within ourselves. The syrinx is in the center and comes first. It is simple and grounded. On the other hand, “syntax comes last… and can be thought of… as a / higher form of expression” (stanza 2, lines 1, 3 & 5). When syntax joins with the syrinx they take off and soar, “breaking free of the dry, / the merely fricative / husk of the particular” rising “past saying anything” (stanza 2, lines 11-14).

The depths of our soul, the goddess, the deep dark force of life is associated with the feminine for symbolic purposes only. While a man’s body offers him more freedom in the physical world a woman’s body anchors her in the spiritual world, the unseen realm which exists without really existing at all. This force is not a female or only found in women, just as the ability to rule in the physical realm is not limited to men alone. Women can climb to the tops of the mountains and men can fall to the depths of their abyss. However, from a symbolic stance, it simply makes more sence to associate the dark power of the depths with the feminine and the powers of our skills and might to the masculine and the light of rationality. Like the syrinx and syntax, the masculine and feminine sides of life are set free when they join together and rise past being anything. The question of who is hurt more when the feminine elements of life are ridiculed and chastised may seem simple to answer, but in truth it is hard to say. Women were certainly not the only ones at a loss when the feminine side was thrown overboard in a frantic search for a light strong enough to reign in uncontrollable powers that swallow us again and again. In our search to control Mother Nature we have imprisoned ourselves. Yet if we escape our cells we will surely have more than we did to begin with.

Poetry has a way of representing all layers of the whole in a balanced manner, granting poems the ability to illustrate the depths and dimensions of the deep, dark, feminine elements of life that are lost in the fast pace of our over-paced world. Brining the goddess within out into the open light requires time, patience, love and the option to employ various forms of expression. Each of these four poets has beautifully illustrated a face of the feminine elements of life. Some sides of the goddess are dark and destructive, while others are as good as gold. However, all parts are perfectly natural and a part of the whole, which is not complete without all its parts, and which becomes much greater than the sum of its parts when everything is included.

 

Works Cited

Estes, Clarissa Pinkola. Women Who Run With the Wolves. New York: Ballantine Books, 1992.

Ferguson, Margaret, Mary Jo Salter, and Jon Stallworthy. The Norton Anthology of Poetry. 4^th ed. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 1996.

Murdock, Maureen. The Heroine’s Journey. Boston: Shambhala, 1990.

Wisdom

by Ralph Waldo Emerson (1903)

Rule by which obeying grows
Knowledge not its fountain knows
Wave removing whom it bears
From the shores which he compares
Adding wings thro things to range
Makes him to his own blood strange

Muses & Poetry

Poetry is not necessarily spiritual, but when the Muses are involved in the creation of poetry, the religious undertones are always apparent. In Greek mythology the Muses were nine goddesses that inspired “all artists, especially poets, philosophers and musicians” (Encarta). While references to the Muses are abundant in poetic works, the only two poets studied so far that directly mention the inspiring muses are Phillis Wheatley and Ralph Waldo Emerson. An analysis of the works of these two astounding poets reveals some common spiritual themes like fate and purpose, connectivity amidst diversity, and the meaning of life. Since these themes seem to be present in all artistic work that is inspired by the Muses, they seem less like a Greek invention and more like a symbolic representation of a universal, archetypal aspect of the creative human spirit that draws its powers from the collective soul, deep within an individual’s unconscious mind. The poetry inspired by the Muses does not merely entertain, but takes on great meaning, illustrating the wholeness and complexity of life. Muse-inspired poetry delights the soul by reveling in the wonders of nature and life, whilst it challenges the mind to confront the harsh realities facing humanity.

Not only is Phillis Wheatley one of the most talented American poets studied thus far, she was also highly “favored by the muses” according to George Washington (poets.org, “Wheatley”). In “To S.M., A YoungAfrican Painter, on Seeing His Works” Wheatley takes delight in the beauty and vitality of creative works of arts, while giving the muses credit for inspiring artists of all kinds, from poets to painters (Ferguson et al., 661). Wheatley begins the poem by admiring how S.M. expresses the intentions of his heart and mind through his paintings, which take on a life of their own. Wheatley is spiritually moved by the painting and goes on to marvel at the magnificence of all artistic creations. She speaks of the “painter’s and the poet’s fire,” or soul, which “conspire(s)” to inspire artistic creations containing depth and meaning (lines 9 & 10). Thus the artist is not just producing something entertaining and pretty, but is also pursuing their own “noble path” of creating inspirational and purposeful art which will lead them to “immortal fame” (line 7 & 12).  Later in the poem Wheatley gives the Muses credit for inspiring such heavenly art, leading to the conclusion that the muses are connected to the soul of the artist. Their influence is felt through some internal part of the artist’s unconscious which is grounded in its connection to the collective unconscious, i.e. God. Wheatley’s muse glows with “heav’nly transport,” and seems to connect the consciousness of the artist to the depths of their soul. Later when her “gentle muse” ceases, she is no longer able to see “the fair creation,” or rather her moment of insight has ended only to return when her muse returns (lines 33 & 34).

“An Hymn to Humanity, To S.P.G Esq” is another poem by Wheatley that is inspired by the Muses and full of spiritual connections (Renascence Editions) . Wheatley must be referring to Jesus Christ when she speaks of a “prince of heav’nly birth,” however her conception of Christ is not contained in one man, but instead encompasses all of “divine Humanity,” or the godliness hidden within each human heart (stanza 1, lines 3 & 4). Later in the poem Wheatley speaks of the “languid muse” and the “celestial nine,” which descend unto her mind and lead her imagination (stanza 5, lines 2 & 4). Jesus Christ and the Muses are connected through their union with the human soul, and their ability to elate the heart and inspire the mind. They both symbolize inspirational forces that are able to “enlarge the close contracted mind, and fill it with thy fire” (stanza 3, lines 5 & 6). Thus, the sacredness of Christ or the Muses is expressed in their ability to open an individual up to the divine quality of life, while inspiring them to listen to and follow the divine leader inside their soul.

Another poet with exceptional artistic ability and a strong bond with the Muses is Ralph Waldo Emerson. Unlike Wheatley, Emerson was a card-holding member of the dominant group, which gave him the ability to be much more rebellious and blunt in his opposition to the powers that be. Both artists express a belief that all humans come from a divine source and are thus connected to a divine force that is felt internally. However, Emerson was more direct in supporting the rule of this inner power within the individual, yet connected to all, over the pre-existing outer powers that currently ruled society. Emerson was a strong supporter of Transcendentalism, and in his first book, Nature, he named the force, which connects everything and is within everyone, the “Over-Soul ~ a Supreme Mind that every man and woman share” (poets.org, “Emerson”)

Emerson celebrates the endurance of the collective soul in “Ode,” but first he deals with the shallowness of Western life and the vain pursuit of excessive material goods (Ferguson et al., 852). He begins the poem explaining why he must spend time in his own thoughts rather than the “priest’s cant” or the “statesman’s rant,” in order to write from his soul. If he follows the lead of others the “angry Muse” will put “confusion in (his) brain” (stanza 2, lines 4 & 5). Emerson then goes on to artistically illustrate how the pursuit of material goods has taken over our lives at the cost of “friendship” and “love” (stanza 9, line 10). In the end people are not serving their souls, but instead are serving the material goods which direct their lives. As Emerson so poetically and perfectly puts it, “things are in the saddle, and ride mankind” (stanza 7, lines 7 & 8). Emerson deals with grave issues such as slavery and genocide, but he seems to think even these horrors have a silver-lining. When times are at their worst and people have lost all “the astonished Muse finds thousands at her side” (stanza 11, line 8). This illustrates how tragedy serves the purpose of uniting people not only with each other, but with the deeper aspects of their soul, represented by the Muse.

In “Intellect,” Emerson describes the wisdom of the individual when he or she follows their instincts and is led by their soul instead of society (Ferguson et al., 854). This wisdom comes from an unknown source, or as Emerson puts it, “knowledge not its fountain knows,” similar to how the poet must feel when the muse whispers the perfect verse into his ear (line 2). The Muses are not mentioned directly in this short, yet complex poem, but their influence is apparent. Emerson must be guided by some mystical force to be able to see things from such a different perspective that he is “to his own blood strange” (line 6). Actually, Emerson left this poem untitled, and I think “Wisdom” would have been a more appropriate title than “Intellect.” He’s not talking about being intellectual or knowing the most. He’s talking about the wisdom one gains when they are brave enough to follow their own inner lead and look at life from many different perspectives, beyond the scope of their own personal perspective.

In order to connect with the deeper aspects of the soul, or the Muses, a poet must be very self-reflective and familiar with suffering and feelings of desperation. As a result, muse-inspired poetry tends to deal with the meaning of life, the beauty of nature, and the endurance of the soul. A creative mind is not something that is given to some and not others. Rather, everyone has the potential for creativity, but it must be nurtured from the inside out. In order to connect with deeper aspects of the mind and harvest creative abilities, a poet must spend an excessive amount of time in their own thoughts, contemplating the meaning of life and purpose of humanity. Thus, the questions must be asked before the answers are revealed. Connecting to the Muses can be very time-consuming, but in the end the results are timeless and continue to inspire awakening minds generations after the poet has left the stage.

Works Cited

Ferguson, Margaret, Mary Jo Salter, and Jon Stallworthy. The Norton Anthology of Poetry. 4^th ed. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 1996.

“Muses,” Encarta Premium. 2006. Microsoft. 18 October 2006 <http://encarta.msn.com/enyclopedia_761568669/Muses.html>.

“Phillis Wheatley.” poets.org. 2006. Academy of American Poets. 18 October 2006 <http://poets.org/poet.php/prmPID/431>.

“Poems: Phillis Wheatley.” Renascence Editions. 1998. Judy Boss. 18 October 2006 <http://www.uoregon.edu/~rbear/wheatley.html>.

“Ralph Waldo Emerson.” poets.org. 2006. Academy of American Poets. 18 October 2006 <http://poets.org/poet.php/prmPID/201>.

My Muse

The mindful muse

left her ruse

                            where she snoozed

Picked up her purse

to end a curse

                                      she came in

  

A

BURST!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

When she comes my way

all I see is day

                      but too soon she fades

No, please come back!

I like you so

                  ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

                                      my new

                                sweet

                            pill

That’s oh so old

                         & bitter when nil

And less like a pill

                                                                  & more like a hill

             that must be climbed

                                 

to get my fill

To Be

I prayed to God one lonely night

I asked if he could ease my fight

I begged & begged for just a drop of light

I cried & cried & increased my height

I told this God the things I need

I told her that I Would believe

I promised her I’d never leave

IF only she Would do as I please!

To this she thought

And thought and thought

And finally said “I could’ve fought

With you till dawn

Describing the grass on your lawn

Explaining why the ground is fawn

But have decided instead

That you’re as thick as lead

And I’d have to be outta my head

So I’ll just say

No, I can’t just do what u want

But as long as you’re hear

Perhaps u could lend an ear

I have problems of our own

And was hoping u might help

I pray that u will

   Could pay your dues

      Could love as friends

         And lend your hands

   Whenever you can”

The Real Thang

///////\\\\\\\\\\\///\/\/\/\/\//////\/\\\\\

      They say it can’t be done

They drum . and . drum . and . drum

It can’t be done

Life’s just no fun

Better watch out for an attack

Better get ready for the collapse

These people are dirty

These people are rude

And those over there

Are loud and lude

The economy’s busted

The supplies were all spilled

The tools are all rusted

And our cups were never filled.

The believers are hunted

Their beliefs are all shunted

The ball’s been bunted

but the boys R all blunted

.  .  . : . :   .  .  .  ???

Technology’s just a word

Lodged in your pockets

Flooding all your sockets

No longer a long and trusted sword

The press use to address

the disasters in plain sight

giving us all a reason to fight

Communication use to be a key

that unlocked the king’s chamber

And if he was naughty

Brought him down to the hanger

Bombs and powders make loud thunder

But words are more like lightening

that bounce like balls

Dribbled by gods

Thrown by mere mortals

Life’s all done!

It’s just such a big mess

The big bang left us with

So Much Less!

Now we fuss and we fuss

that we can’t be one

that God’s gotten much too thin

And we’re living in our own lonely den

People of the past

   would laugh at this cast

  of losers and weepers

And heavy, heavy sleepers

Who wake to a world

   waking up from a 1000 or more

Year spell

   that left them in the baker

And, no, not just for another laker’s

game but for

The Real Thing.

Men

Men R such assholes

& I’m stuck in their craphole!

They bitch & they gripe

about shit they don’t even wipe!

They demand the right

to gorge from a starving light

    They want & they need

what they can’t even receive

They blame & they curse

the goddess lodged in your purse

    They stare over there

not seeing what’s right here

But give them the time

to sit & grind

spices on your stone

And they turn like a leaf

unshackled by a breeze

even as u try to please

an undeserving sleeze!