The Muses by Brid Morahan

Brid Morahan reads her poem 'The Muses' 

This poem appears in 34-37 Degrees South 2025 - An Anthology of Poetry from members of the South Coast Writers Centre. 

Fresh words brought to you by the South Coast Writers Centre

Transcript

The Muses by Brid Morahan

How fun you are when you appear

your words bite with zest and pepper

like salad days in oil and salted cheese with wine—

all fruit, sweet with juices and vivid colours of sunshine

spoken of and written to make me laugh

Cultivars cut, then all tumbled

under tap’s cold water wash

trimmed then tossed for me to taste, the tip of my tongue

twisting tales of meaning like they’re lemons, garlic, honey

spicing every morsel to sate my heart

And yes, you go, and clouds roll in

they dull and blur and blot the words—

then I roll into myself, bake spuds for the tea

and wait it out with pacing or curled up in knitted blankets

my pain growled and wordless to tilt the scales

When you return, with your balance

blankets, legs, folded, and at rest

my mind alert and playful sends breath to the phrases

holds it, breathes afresh while the page drinks in mead of ink, I

feast on luscious mouthfuls to break bread with