Faith In Christ Abounds When We End Today Like There Is No Tomorrow

It may seem cliché to talk about appreciating the blessings we have each day.
According to the book of Revelation this is an end time to prepare, and pray!

One way of knowing what is truth, and a lie is to hear the same prophesy.
NASA in the USA has confirmed the Hopi Blue Star Kachina is on the way.

Scientists reluctantly named this comet coming as Planet X, or HEO437, too.
The difference from their observation, and prophesy is there is a plan through.

The Christian bible has several sites in the book of Daniel, Gospels, and Revelation's.
For those who seek the truth through the eyes of Creator, and Christ congratulations!

God has a special way to convey His truth to those committed to following His way.
He keeps a plan for an escape from His wrath to those who know the Word each day.

If we are slaves to the Word of Christ we need to expect the end, with a new world.
Those who reject Christ, following the Anti-Christ have another plan with evil herald.

What we need to realize is that there have always been two components of controllers.
Civilizations that broaden their nets have a head in government with church rulers.

The dream in Daniel 2 (that he interpreted for the king) depicts these empires of old.
Reading it (with contemplation) will prepare us for the global-prison-order foretold.

Those who live in the USA, and other industrial countries are under a spirit, you see.
This makes them distracted from getting holy salvation as a spirit of being too busy.

Husbands, and wives combine roles of homemaker with bringing home the 'bacon'.
Then when children come into the marriage (blended mostly) more time is taken.

The spirit of stress, then, has an opening to making tempers flare up, and flame.
Without a strong, spiritual sense of true direction each parent may thwart the blame.

Children may become shuffled around, or left alone without proper supervision.
Stressed, absent parents take the easy, cheap way out with a baby-sitting television.

So now the children are brain-washed in school, also, from the subverted world view.
Government seeking control at an early age makes an easier way for minds to skew.

Cultivating a healthy viewpoint comes with incorporating true, Christian values, too.
Cutting out a slice of valuable time each day will help allow for this to shine through.

Brief History of Persian Poet Abdullah Ansari

Abdullah Ansari hails from Herat (now in Afghanistan) and was born in the year 394 AH. His complete name is Khawaja Abdullah Bin Muhammad Ansari. He was the fellow of King Alif Arslan Saljoqi, Khawaja Nizam Ul Mulk and Sheikh Abu Al Khair and also inspired from them. Abdullah belongs to the tribe of Abu Ayub Ansari. He was well read poet, scholar, and popular for his hospitality. Ansari was a great religious scholar and Mystic personality. He was very simple, social and kind to his people. Ansari has a strong belief on one God (Allah) which reflects from his poetry. He was a great writer and poet of his time. Abdullah is famous for his unique prose writing as well as Quatrains (Rubaiyat) poetry. Ansari gave a holy message to the people through his Quatrains poetry.

Books of Ansari

He was in-fluent in Arabic and Persian languages and wrote many prose and poetry in these languages. The following points describe the life of Ansari:-

Books of Abdullah Ansari

Prose Writing Methodology of Abdullah

Quatrains (Rubaiyat) of Ansari

Reflection of Real Love in Quatrains Poetry of Ansari

Books of Abdullah Ansari.
Abdullah Ansari wrote enormous books in Persian and Arabic languages. Zad-Ul-Arefeen and Kitab-e-Israr are the most renowned and popular books of Ansari. These books have been written on religious matters and have lesson for everyone in general and young generation in particular. He invited the people towards Sufism through his books. Belief and trust in one God is the main theme of his articles. Ansari has explained Sufism and its impacts on our daily life in his books. The language of the books is very simple, impressive and attractive which have deep attraction for readers. He also wrote several magazines apart from these books.

Prose Writing Methodology of Ansari.

Abdullah Ansari was impressed from classical Persian poet Sheikh Saadi. He followed the writing method and style of Sheikh Saadi in his proses. Ansari has used poetry as well adages and sayings in his prose for interest of readers. He tried to guide the people through prose and poetry towards right path. Ansari is one of the leading writer of his time who used poetry in prose. He produced enormous books in Persian languages for guidance of his people. Ansari served Persian literature very well in term of unique prose and poetry.

Quatrains (Rubaiyat) of Abdullah Ansari.

The Quatrains poetry of Ansari is famous for its distinguished and unique writing style. Ansari preached the people towards Islam and guided them through his poetry. He wrote advisory notes in his poetry. The aim and main theme of his Quatrains is spiritual grooming of readers. His poetry is fluent, effective, simple and easy to understand.

The Hidden Pain of Love

In the blinking of an eye, there are no suspicions.
In the secret mental structures, there is no clue.
In the remotest imagination, no trace of her exists.
In the darkest night, there is naturally no thought.

Without warning, a disease with no prescription has attacked me.
Without any traceable leads, I am a victim of the unknown pain.
Without any help, the pain continues burning inside my bones.
Without telling anyone, I hope to control it and be myself once again.

If I was young, this is a problem for mum and dad to rectify.
If I had a way, I could have wished for something else instead of this strange pain.
But, reality has refused to heed my calls for help!
Reality has found me guilty of love and sentenced me to some silent tears.
Even when I wake up in the night, the pain strikes like a freezing chill on a broken tooth.

Sometimes I wonder how I managed to fall for this cute product of creation.
Sometimes I really wish this pain could just be tamed.
Is this the pain of love that some elders warned me about?
Is this the time I have found someone to cause pain in my heart with pleasure?
Is this the right time to let my cute model know how I feel?

Seasons will come and go, but the pain of love will still show the same reality.
Season will blossom into fatal reality should she respond with a cold shoulder.
Seasons will slow down their pace if she decides to mock my shy nature.
Seasons won't be enough to make her understand how much I care.
Season will judge her cute self should she ignore my true feelings.

Mum, I wish you could guess what I am going through without interrogating me.
Dad, I wish you could be a shoulder to cry on without waiting for my call for help.
Uncle, I wish I could just open up and describe this fire I am keeping inside.
Aunty, I wish I could remind you how right you were about being confused when you are in love.
Grandpa, I wish you could see from afar, how hard I am trying to contain this new feeling.

The love of my life is knocking on my innocent door.
But I am not sure whether accepting her is the right thing.
My confused head keeps spinning and hurting my soul.
But she has no idea how hard I am struggling to handle this pain.
It is time to let her know how I feel and free myself from this bondage.
It is time I became honest with my feelings.
I am in love!

Brief History of Persian Poet Rowdki, the Poet of the Samayan Era

General Description

Rowdki was the most popular poet of the Samyan era in Persian history. As per the statement of famous historian Abdul Karim Bin Muhammad Esmani, his complete name is Abu Abdullah Jafar Bin Muhammad Bin Hakeem Bin Abdul Rahman Bin Adam and Rowdki was his sur-name. He was born in a small village Banj, which is situated in Rowdak city of Samarqand. Abu Abdullah Jafar became famous in the word with the relation of this city. His date of birth is not mentioned in the history anywhere, however, the historians wrote his approximate date of birth. He died in 304 AH or 916 CE which probably incorrect.

Pin-picture of Rowdki

Abu Abdul Rahman Rowdki was very intelligent from childhood. He learned the holy Quran by heart when he was eight years old. Abu Abdul Rahman also learned the art of recitation of Holy Quran in the early age. Then, he started poetry and became a perfect Persian poet of Samayan era. Rowdki is also known as teacher of poets in the history. Almighty Allah has blessed him with a sweet and attractive voice. He started singing and playing Guitar. Abu Abdullah Jafar learned the knowledge of music from musician teachers Bareed and Nakeesa. Soon Abu Abdul Rahman became a good and popular musician. In this way, he got place in the office of King Ameer Nasar Bin Ahmad Samani. He used to play Guitar in his office.

Blind by Birth

Most of the Historians are in the opinion that Abu Abdul Rahman Jafar was blind by birth. Persian poet Muhammad Aofi declared Rodwki as blind by birth. However, some historians have narrated that Rowdki become blind in the later stage of life. There are many perception about his blindness. The poetry of Abu Abdul Rahman Jafar shows that he became blind in the later stage of life because he has used colours in his poetry.

Reasons behind Blindness of Abu Abdullah Jafar

Historians have stated two reasons behind the blindness of Abu Abdullah Jafar Bin Muhammad. The reasons are appended below:-

1) First Reason. Renowned Persian poet Agha Saeed Nafeesi writes that a warm stick was put in the eyes of Rowdki, which made his eyes blind. He did not produce a solid reason of his statement. However, Nafeesi explained his statement and said that Rowdki was suffering from eye disease "Khonsa". Khonsa is an eye disease which reduces the eye sight gradually. The people used to put a warm stick for its remedial. In this way, a warm tick was put in the eyes of Abu Abdullah Jafar, however, some carelessness occurred in the process, which caused him blind.

2) Second Reason. The historians also narrated a second reason of Rowdki's blindness. Abu Fazal Balghami was serving in the office of King Ismail Bin Ahmad Samani, who was the best friend of Rowdki. When Islamil removed Abu Fazal from his office, Ismail also punished his closed associates and friends. It is also suspected that Ismail Bin Ahmad has put warm tick in the eyes of Abu Abdullah Jafar on this account and made him blind.

First Appointment

At the first time, Rawdki started job in the office of King Nasar Bin Ahmad Samani. Although, Rowdki did not use the name of king Nasar Bin Ahmad in his poetry, however, the historians have narrated his presence in his office. Once, the king Nasar prolonged his stay at Herat (now in southern Afghanistan). The people requested Abu Abdullah Jafar to convince the king for return to home town. Rowdki wrote a poem in which he invited the attention of King Nasar towards the problems of people and the king returned to his palace soon. Abu Abdullah Jafar also wrote poems for Ameer Abu Jafar, who was the governor of Seestan (now in Iran).

Fellow Poets

Abu Abdullah Jafar is the classical Persian poet. Following are some of his fellow poets:-

1. Shaheed Balkhi

2. Ghairul Adi

3. Abu Mesal Bokhamai

4. Muradi

5. Abu Abbas

6. Joyari

7. Khobazi

8. Abu Ishaq

9. Neeshapuri

10. Abu Zaraga Gorgani

11. Amara Marozi

Reason of Fame

A classic poetry, sweet voice and unparalleled control over the playing of guitar became the reason of Rowdki's fame. It is generally considered that the name of Samanyan is live in the history due to the poetry of Rowdki. All great poets of Samanyan era have praised the poetry and art of Abu Abdullah Jafar.

Ideology

Rowdki has a thoughtful heart and sensitive nature. He loved the people and feels their pain. Abu Abdullah Jafar advises the people in his poetry and says that circumstances of the world does remain the same, it changes from time to time. Therefore, we should not worry about it. Rowdki loves the world and its dividends but also advises the people for patience because world and human both are mortal.

When the son of his dearest friend Abu Fazal Balaghmi died, Rowdki wrote a poem in which he advised him for patience. He advises for taking benefit from the gifts of Almighty Allah in this world but never become proud of it because everyone had to leave it. Abu Abdullah Jafar enjoyed simple and straight forward life. He likes simple people and dislikes hypocrites.

Characteristics of Poetry

The great Persian poet Nizami Arozi Samarqandi says that the poetry of Rowdki very effective. It effects on the heart of the readers. Nizami further narrated that once king Nasar Bin Ahmad Samani prolonged his stay during summer season at Hera. The people became upset there. They gave five thousand Dinar to Abu Abdullah Jafar and requested him to convince King for return to home town. Abu Abdullah Jafar wrote a poem and sang it in rhyme "OSHAQ" for King Nasar. When Abu Abdullah Jafar sang the last word of the poem, the king agreed and return to palace. It was the characteristics of his poetry.

Publications

Persian poet Muhammad Aofi says that Rowdi has written one hundred books of poetry. Perhaps, the quote of Muhammad Aofi might be right because Abu Abdullah Jafar was very rich poem writer. The historians narrated that Rowdki has translated the renowned Arabic book "Kalila wa Dimna" in Persian in the shape of poetry. However, it is not available presently. Only one Divan of Abu Abdullah Jafar is presently available.


My name is Muhammad Ishaq. I have done my M.A (Master of Arts in Persian) from University of Peshawar. I am writing articles on classical and modern Persian poets and general essays for school, college and university students.

Muses Poetry and the Muses

The Muses we understand from Part 1 of this article are the daughters of the future and the past, and more specifically of memory, light, truth and beauty; they are essential for the 'good life', and we understand as well that because they are goddesses, they cannot be summoned by human will, but they can be invoked by supplications, by readiness, by the human spirit or soul that is aligned with their purpose.

This takes us to a new and key observation: that everyone can be a poet if - IF - they can speak from their own true, authentic self, or what we used to call their soul; their core being. In her book 'Poetry and Story Therapy', Geri Giebel Chavis writes, "This experience left me with the strong belief that we are all poets when the true self finds its voice". It is not easy to do this, and goes way beyond understanding or using the skills and techniques of poetry that poets so typically deploy. The reason it is so difficult is because, sadly, for most of us, most of the time, we speak as our false self-dictates. 'Persona' is a word meaning 'mask'; it was used in Greek drama and from it we derive our concept of 'personality'. But personality is too simple a word really, for we all seem to have, more accurately, personalities: multiple 'persona' or masks that we exhibit - or hide behind - to present our false or ego selves to the world.

We see this clearly when we consider how differently we act and behave in the different environments in which we find ourselves: as a son or daughter, as a sibling, as a parent, as a friend, as a co-worker, as a subordinate, as a boss, or down at the 'club', or in a sport's situation, and so on. The mature personality can manage some consistency of being, but even in the best of us there is a mask - we project who we are rather than allowing our essential self, or soul, to manifest its own unique properties - unique, and thus original.

And this contaminates our language; nowhere more so than in writing poetry itself. Every generation seems to produce a 'top fifty' list of poets whom the media raves about, but which the next generation comes to realise are no poets at all, just clever versifiers, free versifiers, who tapped into the zeitgeist of contemporary values and ideas, and so were popular and seemed important. Occasionally 1 or 2 of that 50 get read 100 years hence, and often too, alarmingly often, 1 or 2 who nobody heard of at the time - e.g. Emily Dickinson or Gerard Manley Hopkins - get the recognition they were denied in their life time. Because - why? Because they spoke from the Muse and their poetry lives.

For the Muse - the poet's Muse - if she can be invoked - in that timeless and abnormal present moment - transforms the soul of the poet so that he or she can speak directly from their soul, bypassing the masks, the ego. And here is the truth of the matter: the human soul itself is inherently pure, beautiful, truthful and eternal. Whatever the subject matter - no matter, as with Dante, if one is in the very pit of hell, or with Shakespeare in Macbeth's castle - yet the soul speaking will render it beautiful and true (and we know post-modern poetry is not poetry since it confronts 'reality' and renders it uglier still - then pats itself on the back for being 'realistic'!).

Such words as these, then, live forever; for they are inspired - breathed in - by a goddess. And I need a word here from Jung, lest I be thought to be some half-baked literalist in discussing these gods and goddesses: "We think we can congratulate ourselves on having already reached such a pinnacle of clarity, imagining that we have left all these phantasmal gods far behind. But what we have left behind are only verbal spectres, not the psychic facts that were responsible for the birth of the gods. We are still as much possessed today by autonomous psychic contents as if they were Olympians. Today they are called phobias, obsessions, and so forth; in a word, neurotic symptoms. The gods have become diseases; Zeus no longer rules Olympus but rather the solar plexus, and produces curious specimens for the doctor's consulting room, or disorders the brains of politicians and journalists who unwittingly let loose psychic epidemics on the world." So, how different this is in every way from the negative, structure-less, formless, ego-centric ideologies that inform poetry now - and have done so for about the last 100 years. But the results of these various ideologies are what is most notable: contemporary poetry which is not only mostly ugly, formless, ego-centric, self-referential, but critically, and most of all, mendacious. Mendacious in the sense that it wholly misrepresents the cosmos and creation; it relishes evil, absurdity, nihilism and pointlessness, and promotes these ideas and attitudes as sophisticated and good; and when stuck, facing all the massive evidence to the contrary, retreats into a total subjectivism, which shrugs its shoulders with as much as to say, 'Well, that's just your opinion'. They, of course, know better, and cannot see that such a position equally undermines their opinion. But the simplest anonymous folk song or some lyrics by Bob Dylan have more poetry in them than the combined weight of all the post-modernist poems of the last 30 years. How do we know? Because we'll all go on reading and enjoying the former as long as our culture lasts; whereas the post-modern poetry is largely unread even now by the post-moderns - it contributes nothing to the 'good life'.

It is, then, relatively easy to write such poetry and to fool oneself into thinking it is poetry. But it is much more difficult to speak from one's authentic self. Most people at some point in their lives have tried to write poetry (and even still secretly do) but finally give up (or hide it in a desk or on a computer somewhere) because they realise or think that it's no good. What they fail to realise (or wantonly don't want to realise if they have gone over to the post-modernistic modes of writing) is that one doesn't have to try to write poetry if one is speaking authentically - that is, from one's self or soul. As GK Chesterton expressed it: "For I am one of those who think that the poet stands separate and supreme among men, in that simple fact that the poet can say exactly what he means, and that most men cannot".

This is a paradox because, of course, the poet does say exactly what he or she means, but what that is he or she may not know in advance of saying it; for poetry is like 'being' - mysterious, wonderful, unlimited. Aldous Huxley noted: "The world is poetical intrinsically and what it means is simply itself. Its significance is the enormous mystery of its existence and of our awareness of its existence." To speak, then, authentically requires submission, openness, and capacity - qualities which allow the Muse to enter, to generate the abnormal 'present' in which the words dance and a new cosmos of consciousness is created. Yes, a new cosmos of consciousness is created; the intrinsic likeness of mankind to God is in their creativity. The poet continues the creative act of God that began at the beginning; all humans do - or should - of course, and not only in the discipline of words; but that is the tragedy of humanity - the failure to be creative and to resort to destruction instead.

The theologian H.A. Williams expressed it thus: "There can be no Joy where there is no creativity because the absence of creativity is a denial of Joy at its source, that is, a denial of God the Creator. That means that we must all be poets if we are to be what God intends us to be - not, of course, poets as we now understand the word (very few of us can be that), but in its original sense of makers."

In part 3 we will look at how poetry balances the mind, helps us heal, and leads to the magic of words. What is the most magical word in the English language? And why? Find out in Part 3. Learn, too, about the holy state we must enter to be poets.

A Love Letter

From My Heart to Your Heart,

May we recognize the Divine Love's presence.

May we see each other as One.

My Dear One,

Is there someone in your life, a friend or relative, whom you find it difficult to love?

Perhaps this person was unkind to you, even bullied or abused you in the past.

When you think about this person, love is not what you feel. You may feel anger, rage, even hatred. You may have other strong uncomfortable feelings that come up as well.

What is holding you stuck in these old feelings?

How can you release them and move into a space of love?

After all, when you feel these feelings, the other person isn't feeling them.

It's YOU who are being held in the chains of old pains and old emotions.

One of my mother's sisters died recently. Even tho' I've know for years and years that she hurt me deeply when I was a child, I was not motivated to address my feelings about her. Instead, I've just avoided her for decades.

Now, she's in spirit and I find that I cannot remember even one kind or generous thing that she did for me or anyone else. My heart is full of pain, not love.

This woman was a bully. I have clear memories of her bullying her husband. "Honey, drop dead!" she would say to this gentle soul.

She bullied her eldest son into believing he was stupid, even though he was of average intelligence. Can you imagine how this affected his life?

She bullied her daughter into becoming a chain smoker.

She bullied her two other sons until one of them moved 3,000 miles away just to feel free of her.

She bullied me, too, even though I wasn't her own child.

Every time she visited us or we visited her family, she was horrible to me. I used to hide in my bedroom when she came to our home until my mother would drag me out to greet her and her family.

So now she's in spirit, and I struggle to find some way to forgive her so that I no longer am burdened by my feelings.

At first, my ego kicked in, and I became mean.

I began imagining her Life Review in the spirit realm.

"Well, well," I said to her in spirit. "Finally you will finally learn how much you have hurt others. You will feel their pain yourself. Good. Long overdue!"

These thoughts carried no compassion at all.

Observing myself behaving this way, I was determined to make a change in how I felt. But what could I do?

When I find I cannot feel love for someone, I know that the problem is mine and that the limitation is inside me.

If I just blame the other person, nothing will change.

If I own up to my feelings and ask for higher guidance to heal myself, to forgive myself for having this person in my life, I will eventually become free.

When I remember that I'm the one who must change, then I'm ready to step forward and make those changes.

I remembered that people who are bullies and abusers have been bullied and abused as children themselves.

They are IN PAIN!

Children Learn What They Live.

When children are bullied and abused, they often become bullies and abusers, especially as adults.

When children are bullied, they are small and they feel even smaller. They feel they have no power, and often that is the reality of their situation.

When they grow up and become physically bigger and stronger, they rationalize that it's their turn to wield the power.

Some of them actually go into a trance state when they abuse others - the same trance state that they used in childhood to escape the abuse they were receiving.

Remembering these things and asking my I Am Presence to help me release my negative feelings about my aunt shifted me completely.

Within 24 hours, I could think about her and feel compassion. I could say to myself, "She must have been in terrible pain all her life to treat others so badly, especially the people she loved the most: her husband and children."

I now feel free from my old resentments towards my aunt, and I wish her well.

When I am completely free of all my old, dense emotional patterns, I'll be able to love everyone.

Some of the masters say that this is the greatest spiritual practice:

Love Everyone.

To "Love Everyone" I must find a way to love myself fully, without judgment or limitation, without guilt or remorse.

When I shifted my perspective, I became able to see this lesson as a gift from my departed aunt.

It allowed me to feel forgiveness and love for her.

So this is my Love Letter.

I'm sending this Love Letter to my aunt in spirit and to myself, here on Earth.

I'm also sending Love to you and everyone else still finding their way through the jungles of Third Dimensional Density.

There IS Light at the end of the Path.

And most importantly,

there is Love all along the Way.

Namaste.

Poetry and the Muses

We live in a post-modernist world and its values are everywhere around us; and everywhere these values are almost largely unexamined, and because we have little to contrast our present state with we fail to see how lamentable and poor we are. There is a deep materialism running through society which deprives people of the hope, the creativity and the deep mystery of life. Indeed, on this latter point, we see this being hammered home all the time on the news; for when it is not going on about the latest wars, plagues and famines, is always emphasising how the frontiers of science are expanding, and how soon - someday, one day - all our problems, especially diseases and even mortality, will be solved as the next medical advance is posited as something we all might confidently place our faith in. If 'making progress' actually made progress, then there might be some grounds for optimism; but as, after nearly two centuries of science and technology, we seem to be on the verge of world destruction, this seems fanciful at best.

Of course, this phenomenon of materialism/progress is ubiquitous, but also encompasses that tiny domain which we call poetry. I say 'tiny' because that is what materialism, and associated atheism, has reduced the mighty empire of the poets to. Compared with, say, science or technology, or even medicine, poetry has become largely irrelevant to most people's lives. The best it can possible muster is either verse on a Valentine's card or insincere worship at the shrine of William Shakespeare, one indisputably great poet. Naturally, we have to worship Shakespeare in England because he generates so much revenue for the UK economy - but, hush, no, don't say it like that!

There is an important sense, then, that we have to return to basics and once more see the object for what it truly is. "The decline of literature indicates the decline of a nation", said Goethe, which is a serious matter; and we need to address it because as he also said, "Reality is that which is effective". Whatever else, we need to be effective, which is to be real.

What, then, is the starting point? The starting point is the Muse, the source of all sublime inspiration, and a living reality, as well as a potent metaphor and symbol of divinity. We need to understand from the myths of the past where the Muse comes from and how she operates. The Greek myths give various accounts of this, so I am not wedded to one literal interpretation of this phenomenon, but here is my best shot so far at it.

In the beginning the sky god Zeus, the thunderbolt, the male principle of living and active energy, the yang, and the one who shapes the future, for by the will of Zeus all things are allowed - or not - and who defeated the Titans and the forces of chaos, this great god in some present moment coupled with Mnemosyne, the undefeated Titaness, the female principle, the yin, and goddess memory, who in her vast and capacious mind conserves all things, for in her womb nothing is lost, for the past is remembered, which is re-membered. This coupling (effectively of the male principle of strength and the female principle of beauty) gives birth to the nine Muses, who are the key to the good life: prosperity, friendship and beauty. Notice of course that they are female, and thus incarnations of beauty and so desirability, and this seduces us or we surrender to them. And we see, regarding the good life, this even etymologically in our language when we refer to various aspects of the 'good life': we love muse-ums, which are shrines to the Muse; we love friends who a-muse us, because laughter makes us glad; and we love mus-ic, because it speaks to our souls.

Each of the nine Muses has a special function, but the queen of them is Kalliope, she of the epic poem and 'lovely voice'; she it is who inspires such undertakings. And there is my favourite, Erato, meaning 'loveliness, who inspires lyric poetry; and let's not forget Polyhymnia - she of many songs, especially of a spiritual nature. The other six are well worth exploring too.

But it should be clear from this that the Muse operates in some special place positioned exactly midway between the future that is to be and the past that was; we call this place the present. And it is why true creativity, true poetry, is always written in a semi-tranced out state, for one is abnormally in the present moment. What this means is that - as with deep meditators and hypnogogic states - time either stops or is slowed down and we enter another reality. Hence, too, why prophets and poets are often seen as synonymous: because time has slowed to a crawl it is possible to anticipate the future and redefine the past. It is not that poets are seeking to be prophets or historians (incidentally, Kleio is the Muse of history or 'Renown") but that it is entirely possible and even probable for the future or the past to leak into their work.

This state we enter is so powerful, so desirable, so creative that we all long to be able to switch it on at will, but in this world that is not possible. Because it is not possible, we have a history of poets (and other artists) who try to short-circuit the process and get there illegitimately through substance abuse. The most famous collective example in English literature were probably a handful of the Romantics; but this view that, basically debauching the mind, is necessary for creativity is unfortunately still with us in the lives of so many Twentieth century poets: for example, Dylan Thomas, who the New York coroner recorded as dying of 'a severe insult to the brain' (alcohol). The point is that it is not by and through the will that creativity - poetry - comes to be written, which is as much as to say that it is not through the ego. Socrates put it this way: "I soon realised that poets do not compose their poems with real knowledge, but by inborn talent and inspiration, like seers and prophets who also say many things without any understanding of what they say". And his last point here, too, is important: creativity involves not knowing necessarily what one is going to say. We have intentions to write - and that is good - and we have skills, knowledge and experience - and that is good too, but how will the Muse, if we allow her, inform the work? Poets often record their astonishment at what the final draft of the poem turned out to be; there is in true creativity a certain unpredictability (if 'certain unpredictability' isn't an oxymoron!). As Natalie Rogers says, "Creativity is not a tool. It is a mystery that you enter; an unfolding; an opening process".

But the myth does not end here. Yes, the Muses are the embodiments and sponsors of metrical speech and verse; and also Kalliope, their queen, is the mother of Orpheus, the greatest poet. And the father? Various legends here, but my preferred one is that the god Apollo fathered Orpheus. Indeed, it needs to be said that Apollo, the son of Zeus, increasingly became the surrogate god who often replaced him. So that many claim that it was he who fathered the Muses, and so would be father and grandfather both to Orpheus; but this is a small technicality and even if true does not affect the power of the lineage, since gods do not experience the genetic weakness of humans. What's important to understand is that Apollo was the god of the sun, of light, of prophecy -and so of truth (as in his Oracle at Pythia or Delphi) - and of beauty. All the statues of Apollo show him young and perfectly proportioned. He also fathered Aesculapius whose powers of healing were so effective that even the dead could be resurrected by him; and so, after Hades complained, was struck dead by a thunderbolt from Zeus to prevent the undoing of the triple structure of the cosmos (the bargain the three brothers, Zeus, Poseidon and Hades had struck when they defeated their father, Kronos).

But here's the thing: Orpheus the poet demonstrated what poetry can do. His poetry, his music, made even the rocks - who obviously have stony hearts! - weep. Two incidents especially spring to mind. First, his visit to hell and Hades in order to reclaim his love, Eurydice. This ended in failure in that he did not manage to obtain her; but poetry and music charmed all of hell, and even the damned were relieved from their suffering as he sang his poem. It is said that Hades himself shed, for the first and only time, tears as he listened to Orpheus sing: tears that seemed like liquid tar. And then, of course, he was one of the Argonauts who sailed with Jason. There, where even the strength of the greatest hero of Greek mythology, Herakles, could not prevail - against the Sirens' song, which no force in the universe could break - there he sang in direct combat against them and drowned out their false addictive charm. What we have here is the beauty of poetry that can heal and save, even from the worst and most intense addictions; for that is what the Sirens' song represents - that dreadful, yet beguiling sound, that so draws us on to our own destruction, though we know it is false, yet still we crave it. This, then, is the healing power of beauty, of poetry, when poetry is beautiful, as once it was, and as it will be, for it cannot long be other than it is.