Calls to the Nine Muses

Oh Zeus, he who lay with Mnemosyne for nine days
   who gave birth to the Nine Muses
   at Pieria, the foot of Mount Olympus
We ask you to let the Nine Muses bestow upon us
   all their divine knowledge of the Arts and Sciences
   and to let us know their companions
Who are the Charities, the Horae, Eros, Dionysus, Apollo,
   Aphrodite, Harmonia, and Himerus

Respectfully with acknowledgement of and from their leader,
   Apollo, the God of Music and Harmony
We call forth the Nine Muses who rejoice in the
   bright dancing places on Mount Helicon
We call forth the Nine Muses who preside over the Arts
   and Sciences

Now let the invocation of the Nine Muses
   for their divine inspiration begin

We call forth Calliope
Whose name means The Fair Voiced One
   and is the Muse of Epic Poetry
To divine into us the sincerity of Epic Poetry's knowledge
   that has been here since time began
For it is She who holds the Writing Tablet in her Poetic Hands  

We call forth Clio
Whose name means The Proclaimer
   and is the Muse of History
To divine into us the sincerity of History's knowledge
   that has been here since time began
For it is She who holds the Scroll in her Sophic Hands

We call forth Erato
Whose name means The Lovely One
   and is the Muse of Love Poetry
To divine into us the sincerity of Love Poetry's knowledge
   that has been here since time began
For it is She who holds the Lyre in her Amorous Hands

We call forth Euterpe
Whose name means The Giver of Pleasure
   and is the Muse of Music
To divine into us the sincerity of all Music's
   knowledge that has been here since time began
For it is She who plays the Flute with her Melodious Hands

We call forth Melpomene
Whose name means The Songstress
   and is the Muse of Tragedy
To divine into us the sincerity of Tragedy's knowledge
   that has been here since time began
For it is She who holds the Tragic Mask in her Fateful Hands

We call forth Polyhymnia
Whose name means She of Many Hymns
   and is the Muse of Sacred Poetry
To divine into us the sincerity of Sacred Poetry's knowledge
   that has been here since time began
For it is She who wears the Pensive Look upon her Divine Face

We call forth Terpsichore
Whose name means The Whirler
   and is the Muse of Dance
To divine into us the sincerity of Dance's knowledge
   that has been here since time began
For it is She who Dances with the Lyre on the Sacred Dancefloor

We call forth Thalia
Whose name means The Flourishing one
   and is the Muse of Comedy
To divine into us the sincerity of Comedy's knowledge
   that has been here since time began
For it is She who holds the Comic Mask upon her Whimsical Face

We call forth Urania
Whose name means The Heavenly One
   and is the Muse of Astronomy
To divine into us the sincerity of Astronomy's knowledge
   that has been here since time began
For it is She who holds the Staff pointing to the Celestial Globe

Oh glorious Nine Muses do come forth to us
So we can offer to you sweet libations of water, milk, and honey
Offer them to you in return for your divine inspiration that will
   endear us to our earthly pursuits of the Arts and Sciences
Offer them to you so you will eternally remain amongst us

Oh glorious Nine Muses do come forth to us
So we can here your divine voices united in song
The song that has been here since all of time began
   and will flourish until all of time ends


- by Savannah Skye...