I'm in the shower, thinking about how I'm almost out of shampoo, when the poem I've been thinking about will wander into my brain. The hot water must do something to my synapses -- before I can wash the suds out of my hair, I've got lines and ideas and I must go write.
Yes, I have horrified my children by dashing for the laptop sporting nothing more than a towel and an insane look in my eye.
Today's Maryland poet is Bryce Ellicott. The hot water does something to Bryce's synapses, too. (I'm guessing this poet is a fellow Pisces.)
Shower Sprite
by Bryce Ellicott
Why is it
I must find you
my muse, so often
in the shower?
I step in and
the water fills
my brain with words,
the calling of the thrumming
thermal rush, my hair
absorbing sentences from the flood.
I race through cleaning motions,
dash to my desk
and stand dripping, pen in hand
water running on
the page to find the
words evaporated
from my
drying
skin.
Posted with permission of the author.
High School Writing Prompt:
Write a poem addressing your Muse. Go ahead and ask her about the strange places where she turns up.
Since Bryce brought up the Muses -- three of the nine classical Muses are devoted to poetry: Calliope (epic poetry), Erato (love poetry), and Euterpe (lyric poetry).
I'll be finding inspiration today at Baltimore's CityLit Festival.
The Poe Room -- watched over by a remarkable portrait of Edgar Allan himself -- is where to go for poetry. There are readings and poetry panels throughout the day. I'll be on with a group at 10:45 AM. Hope to see you there!
