Through this site, I hope to be able to bring my own little group of talented, artistic friends to the attention of the world, which surely would profit from their contributions.  I hope this little company of people ("The Muse" and friends) eventually brings to mind everywhere art in its most enduring form, a medium of exchange among people, a platform for self-reflection and an example of what our species is about at its best.  That is my loftiest dream -- but if it comes true, so will the most personal one I own, the hope I will be able to stay home and write (with my ever abundant supply of children and friends of various ages drifting in and out per usual) -- giving over my best energy and best parts of my day to life at home -- and of course return some day to my old home in Parsonsfield.  If the "Muse" takes off as it did in the past, perhaps I will learn how to use computer technology to create still new forms of art that haven't even been invented yet.  If so, I can't imagine moving in that direction without the expert tutelage all along the way of Ben Turner.

I discovered Ben Turner when I was looking up his father's address at UTD (I forget it periodically) on the Web one day.  Not only did I stumble into a new web site, but a most ingenious one!  Ultimately I stumbled onto still another web site within that web site (like a play within a play as in Hamlet, but not a dumb one) -- there was Ben Turner's own URL, http://benturner.com/, linked from his father's;  still again the graphics continued to amaze me even more!  Here was a true artist, someone who could take the most mundane of objects -- scribbles, faded photo, whatever was lying around -- effects, perhaps, of the person whose web it was he was building -- and generate a total serendipity of color and design and text, all ingeniously linked in ways most delightful to watch open.  Through it, Ben's own unique strain of stream of enthusiastic consciousness continued to pour. (always, somehow, making sense!)

I decided to hire him to build my own web site for The Muse, the very successful business I had years ago writing poetry for people -- "The Muse" was ready for a revival -- certainly such an artist could help me launch again the work I love best.  I can't tell you how it felt opening the rough draft of what the website's first page was going to be.  Yes, it was simple and elegant.  It was beautiful.  But this isn't about beauty -- it's about business.  Ben is an artist and yet is an extremely fair and generous business man when you take into account the time he devotes to each project.  He is also very intelligent and very witty too -- litote's his middle name.  He's a classics major, for Heaven's sakes! (that is to say, one may send him Latin and he will send back an English translation of same)  Finally, he's knowledgeable:  does this count?  And consider:  he's becoming more knowledgeable by the second.  Why not?  At this point, he's devoted a third of his lifetime learning how to frame cyberspace to your liking.

Hire Ben to build your site:  you will never regret it.

I know Mary Freeman by way of my father, who has known her as a friend for a long time now.  Mary e-mailed me some time ago, expressing interest in letting me create her web site for her, basically so she could take part in the Web and open up some opportunities for her poetry-writing services.

Over the time it's taken to complete the web site and trade information and pass along pictures and photos and writings, we've exchanged dozens of e-mails.  Mary has been a pleasure to read, always including a small poem or excerpt for me to benefit from...  She has given me the opportunity to work on her site as my schedule has allowed me (being in school and all) and she's taught me quite a bit about things I had no previous insight into.  She even mailed me a copy of Epictetus's famous Enchiridion, and let me translate the opening paragraph of Samuel Taylor Colridge's Rime of the Ancient Mariner from Latin to English!  Given that all my previous translation has been done in an academic environment, it was quite the opportunity for me.  She is always teaching and opening people up to new things, whether she intends to or not.

So I'm the webmaster of this site, which means that if there are any problems with your viewing experience here, you'll want to e-mail me at epictetus@benturner.com with a description of what the complication is.  Also, if you have any feedback or comments, please send them to both Mary and me. :)

Have fun here!  I had fun working on this site, that's for sure.  Mary has many stories and feeling to share, and I'm all the better for meeting her!

Although intellectual property laws automatically protect this site and its contents, this is a reminder that all poems, photos, and art on this site are protected by copyright.  You may not use any of it for public use without the permission of Mary Freeman.

The site is best viewed in Navigator 4+ or Internet Explorer 4+.  The site should look fine in all browsers except perhaps the most ancient of them, but you'll see some extra little effects with a newer browser.  If you have problems viewing the site, let me know -- you shouldn't be hindered from viewing the site in ANY way.