The Muse and Its Role in Contemporary Love Poetry

Who or what is the muse that gives the spark of life to contemporary love poetry? In other words who or what inspires a contemporary love poet to write, in his or her era. (Make note of the fact that his or her own era is the only time that he or she can, or does write.)

Throughout the course of history, there are repeated references to this mysterious muse.

The majority of contemporary love poets openly acknowledge that it is their muse that inspires them to write and in fact, they feel that they cannot write contemporary love poetry when the muse is absent. Thus the muse appears and disappears, or at least seems to do so during the writing life of the contemporary love poet in every era, including the present.

The muse invariably seems to have a distinct otherness about it in every era,  as well, even in the present. in other words, for the contemporary love poet, the muse is in some sense other-worldly as it assumes somewhat of an elusive role in his or her literary realm. Contemporary love poetry that is written comes into being because of the presence of the muse. When a contemporary love poet does not sense the presence of his or her muse, it is like being in a void with respect to trying to write contemporary love poetry.

Literary critics are often able to identify distinct periods of time in the writing life of the contemporary love poet when his or her muse becomes active. Many contemporary love poets experience a drought-like time when it appears that they virtually cannot or at least do not write.

When the muse is most identifiable in the poetic works of any contemporary love poet appears to be the moment in time when he or she is most prolific and his or her contemporary love poetry is the most potent.

For some contemporary love poets asked to depict their muse, it would seem impossible to do so. To many, it is understood in terms of their understanding of the divine. It may be comprehended as divine-human or human, or as some aspect of nature. 

The muse only speaks to the contemporary love poet, not to others and thus relaying the message of the muse to others becomes the task of the contemporary love poet. In fact, the contemporary love poet's or inspiration from the muse compels him or her to write poetically. It may even appear to be an obsession, or the need to write as obsessive compulsion when the loss of all interest in doing anything else is apparent to others. Then, when the work is completed, the contemporary love poet appears to return to normal.

There does not appear to be a lot of difference between the muse of the contemporary love poet of today or that of previous eras, except perhaps by name. At the same time, attributing one's contemporary love poetry to a muse, also avoids self-aggrandizement to some extent.

In conclusion, one might suggest that referring to the word muse in conjunction with contemporary love poetry appears to be a phenomenon that has persisted since the beginning of contemporary love poetry writers. It is unlikely to change in the current era or at any time in the future, as it serves a purpose and meets a need.