My muse is the quiet darkness and the sounds of the night. When my daughter was born and I would nurse her, I coveted these moments when it was just she and I, roaming the house or rocking in the glider. My humming, and her cooing, the only sound. It was peaceful. Calming.
Now that she’s older and sleeping through the night, I find myself alone in these times, but only on the outside. Inside, my head is teeming with life.
My characters lives, that is.
Their voices. Ideas. Wants. Needs. Tears and laughter. It’s all there, bursting out of me.
I could never figure out why this was my best writing time, until I realized it was because of how loud the night actually is. It’s brimming, overflowing really, with inspiration. There are so many unknowns in the dark.
How often as children did we imagine the clothes under our beds or in the closets as monsters? Or think the tree tapping on the windowpane was witches or goblins coming to take us away?
And, when we turned on the light, we realized how silly we were, but were we? Really? What if that tree really was the witch? Or the shirt with its sleeve carelessly draped over the back of the chair really the arm of a monster?
Or on the brighter side, the starlight that twinkles through the branches of the tree, thousands of fairies sprinkling their fairy dust to make the flowers grow. The whisper of the wind, actually the voices of angels as they watch over us.
The dark is unknown and limitless, an excellent source of infinite inspiration.
If nothing else, the quiet, or perceived quiet, alone is enough to relax you the way a warm bath with scented candles does. Or an hour-long massage. It allows you to unwind. Let go of the stresses that hound you. If only for a few minutes.
So even if it’s only ten minutes, take some time tonight to really listen to what the dark has to offer you. You just may be surprised at what you hear.
Love this: 'The dark is unknown and limitless, an excellent source of infinite inspiration.'
ReplyDeleteThe darkness does have a settling aspect to it. We just need to be quiet long enough to take it in.
Beautiful post - I too do my best writing (or anything creative) when the rest of the house is asleep.
ReplyDeleteAnd I love your post title. So Phantom of the Opera:
Slowly, gently
night unfurls its splendour . . .
Grasp it, sense it -
tremulous and tender . . .
Turn your face away
from the garish light of day,
turn your thoughts away
from cold, unfeeling light -
and listen to
the music of the night . . .
Great post, Jess!
ReplyDeleteSince I grew out of the "monster in the closet" stage, night has been the time I come alive. I shun the morning sun, awaiting, craving the cool shadows of night.
I know exactly what you mean.I am at my inspirational height at night when the house and there's darkness. There just something about the dark that does wonders to our imagination.
ReplyDelete-ezmirelda
This was a beautifully written post with some gorgeous visuals, too!
ReplyDeleteI ALWAYS write at night when my offspring are asleep - I definitely appreciate what NIGHT has to offer.
THANKS for the lovely post.
Thanks guys! And yes, while I was writing this I had the Phantom of the Opera soundtrack playing. Another of my muses. :D
ReplyDelete