Meena Alexander is a renowned Indian-American poet, novelist, and essayist. Her writing frequently addresses themes of identity, migration, and the intricacies of cultural heritage. “Muse” is a poignant example of a lyrical and introspective approach.
“Muse” by Meena Alexander serves as a profound examination of the poet’s identity and the sources of her artistic inspiration. With rich imagery and personal insights, Alexander navigates the complexities of her heritage and the transformative power of language. Here is the poem:
Muse
I was young when you came to me.
Each thing rings its turn,
you sang in my ear, a slip of a thing
dressed like a convent girl—
white socks, shoes,
dark blue pinafore, white blouse.
A pencil box in hand: girl, book, tree—
those were the words you gave me.
Girl was penne, hair drawn back,
gleaming on the scalp,
the self in a mirror in a rosewood room
the sky at monsoon time, pearl slits
In cloud cover, a jagged music pours:
gash of sense, raw covenant
clasped still in a gold bound book,
pusthakam pages parted,
ink rubbed with mist,
a bird might have dreamt its shadow there
spreading fire in a tree maram.
You murmured the word, sliding it on your tongue,
trying to get how a girl could turn
into a molten thing and not burn.
Centuries later worn out from travel
I rest under a tree.
You come to me
a bird shedding gold feathers,
each one a quill scraping my tympanum.
You set a book to my ribs.
Night after night I unclasp it
at the mirror's edge
alphabets flicker and soar.
Write in the light
of all the languages
you know the earth contains,
you murmur in my ear.
This is pure transport.
From Illiterate Heart by Meena Alexander. Copyright © 2002 by Meena Alexander. Published in 2002 by TriQuarterly Books/Northwestern University Press. All rights reserved.
