Greek Tales of Mount Parnassus

Within the heart of Greece
A limestone mountain rises up
Strong and majestic.
It has stood and flourished for eons
And through the fluid length of time
Tales have been told and passed along to each generation
Tales to tell the history
And explain the truth as it unfolded.

Greek history is riddled with grand tales
Stories of Gods and beasts with great powers.
Stories told to explain the uncertainties of the world.
Mount Parnassas loomed in the minds and drew their curiosity.
Stories swirled
Of a winged horse that touched its hooves to the ground
And caused four sacred springs to burst forth
And from these springs
The Muses were born.
Nine is all... though some claim only three.
These muses danced upon the mount
Bringing poetry and music into being
People flocked to the mountain to seek inspiration;
Their pilgrimage part of their journey to enlightenment.

The Muses also brought literature and learning into being.
People called out to them as a source of creative enrichment.
To be blessed with a Muses’ assistance
Was to be great and powerful in the world.
People longed for the goddess’s to be kind to them.

The mountain also hosted a bounty of life.
Wildlife and vegetation flourished in style.
Among the bounty were two huge trees that graced its peaks.
One was said to grant immortality if you feasted on its leaves
But you were to stay on the mountain and never leave...
The other was guarded by a bird perched high in its branches
The Simurgh.
She was said to be the smartest creature in all the earth
She guarded the Tree of Seeds
It held all the seeds of every living plant
Within the world’s bounty.


38 lines

Prompt for: Jan 9 AND Jan 10, 2016 (fyn) ▼

Subject or Theme: Creative Mythology: Pick one of the following spots that are considered 'sacred' in various parts of the world: Mt Uluru, Australia, Crater Lake, Oregon, Cenote Sagrado in Mexico, the Grotto/cave, on the West Bank in Bethlehem (NOT the church that has since been built there!), Mount Kailas in Tibet, Mount Sinai in Egypt, Glastonbury Tor in England, Mount Parnassus, Greece or Lake Atitlán in Guatemala and create your own poetic take on a real legend or create your own that fits the place/people, while being respective of the place. These are ancient places and the ideology surrounding them goes back thousands of years. Do keep your poem/story back in those time frames.

Be creative, inventive and try to give your own original take on your poetry. Don't rattle off a list of facts. Give your reader depth, a sense of place and belief. Try to be true to the area and the people while giving a sense of 'this, too, could/might be true.' Hint: Find a real truth and expand from that.

I picked geographical places from the article and scattered around the world that encompass a variety of religions that were or are still followed today while avoiding buildings of any kind. This was not in any way trying to avoid or discount any particular religion, deities or gods.

Word(s) to Include in the poem: eon, fluid, time, truth (or any derivatives of these words)
Forbidden Word(s) that are not to be used in the poem: myth, legend, year, sky, heaven, believe (or any derivatives, compound or hyphenations of these words)

Additional Parameters: Use the name of the place in your title, but not just the name of the place.

Jan 9th - To be posted by 11:59am on January 10th tomorrow: a simple post with the Where you have chosen, the WHY you chose it and THREE (3) ASPECTS of your place/history you intend to use. Include links to 3 places you have done some research.

Jan 10th - post your completed poem by 11:59am on Monday, January 11th.
It must use the info (in some identifiable form) you posted for the Jan 9th posting!!!!

At least 36 lines or more. Use rhyme or rhythm in this piece as the tales and stories were usually passed down by mouth and tended to have a beat or a cadence to them to facilitate memorization of the tales. These were then told around a wanderer's firepit, in the hall of some dignitary or during a ceremonial occasion.
Remember, do not use forbidden words ANYWHERE, including title or the brief description of your poem!
BOTH days count score-wise!!! You will receive scores for both days! Any questions...email me or post in the Steam Room.

I am choosing: Mount Parnassus
Why? Because I am interested in Greek Mythology and it is thought to be the home of the Muses and Pegasus.
Aspects:
It is, as a metaphor, the home of poetry, literature and learning.
It is the home of the Greek Muses.
It is the home of Pegasus, the Simurgh and the two trees – The Tree of Immortality and The Trees of Seeds


1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Parnassus
2. http://guideofgreece.com/mount-parnassus-overview
3. http://xanth.wikia.com/wiki/Mount_Parnassus


https://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Parnassus
https://sacredsites.com/europe/greece/delphi.html
http://www.hellenicaworld.com/Greece/Mythology/en/Muse.html
https://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muse