To the Muses


Whether on Ida’s shady brow
Or in the chambers of the East,
The chambers of the Sun, that now
From ancient melody have ceased



 

Whether in heaven ye wander fair,
Or the green corners of the earth,
Or the blue regions of the air
Where the melodious winds have birth



Whether on crystal rocks ye rove,
Beneath the bosom of the sea,
Wandering in many a coral grove;
Fair Nine, forsaking Poetry



How have you left the ancient love
That bards of old enjoy’d in you!
The languid strings do scarcely move,
The sound is forced, the notes are few.

To the Muses by William Blake 
Photographs show the Apollo Room at 85 St Stephen’s Green, Dublin decorated c.1740 by stuccodores Paolo and Filippo Lafranchini. 

6 comments on “To the Muses

  1. Simon Peers says:

    Quite sublime. A wonderful start to Monday morning, thank you.

  2. upsew says:

    wonderful post – and as Simon says above, wonderful start to Monday….

  3. Beautiful post Robert. Can one get in to see it?

  4. linnetmoss says:

    Exquisite, and I learned a new word: stuccodore!

  5. Extraordinary photographs – and extraordinary plasterwork. Those husks in your sixth image are so delicate and subtle. It makes one feel a connection to those stuccodores, and with that tradition.

Leave a Reply