Publisher's Synopsis
Icarus On Elysian Fields is a selected work of poetry written by T. Edward Gray between 1997 - 2005 while living in New Orleans. Capturing this moment in time before the devastation of Hurricane Katrina, these poems explore the rich religious and cultural history of the city, infusing classical elements of Greek literature and unique experience to create an intense personal mythology. The collection is divided according to the disciplines represented by the 9 Muses, the daughters of Zeus and Mnemosyne (Memory) which also happen to be the names of the streets in the Lower Garden District of New Orleans where the poems came to life. Though at first the Muses were indistinguishable from each other, over time each developed her own special field. Clio was Muse of history, Erato the Muse of love poetry, Urania of astronomy, Terpsichore of the dance, Thalia of comedy, Polyhymnia of songs to the gods, Melpomene of tragedy, Euterpe of lyric poetry and Calliope of epic poetry.
