As quickly as she came, the muse departed-
I hadn’t even gotten her a chair
Or offered her a cookie and some tea.
She stood inside my cottage door
And sang a lovely song with several verses,
Then turned and faded through the roses
Into the twilight and was gone.

I struggle to recall the words
While snatches of the melody
Play endlessly across my mind,
Eliminating any hope of
Capturing the lovely thoughts
And conjuring a way
To make them mine.

Her melody was haunting
And the words caressed my soul.
They turned the shadows golden
And brought summer to my cottage
Where the winter winds had blown.
The memory of that moment
Matched the beauty of her song.

I couldn’t make her stay with me
And I’m the poorer for it.
ljm