Thursday, May 24, 2012

Where Does Inspiration Come From?

I was recently pondering this very question about where the inspiration comes from for a poem, or a song, or a tune? I have read about folks like Bob Dylan who claim that the songs are already 'out there', somewhere in the ether, and that he just acts as a conduit through which they flow. Other, perhaps less prolific writers will tell you that it's all about small ideas and a lot of hard work. For me, the answer lies somewhere in the middle. However, I can confirm that there are some places that I find to be very inspirational, indeed, and one in particular is the spot where I'm sitting in today's photo. It's located in a small country lane, an ancient right-of-way that has probably existed since before Famine times in Ireland. It's barely wide enough to acomodate
an old horse and cart, but is still in use as an avenue of access to fields that can not be approached in any other way. Cattle are sometimes moved through this leafy glade, but that's in early morning or late evening. At other times, I have the spot to myself, along with the birds and rabbits, and it is truly, inspirational.