After much work on the “Quietude” sketch (previously “The Muse”), I have whittled down the variations to seven, each expressing in its particular way: how comforting is the tranquillity of the countryside. I must now deliberate over which is best.

There are days when I do as little as one change to a verse variation, followed by a period of reflection before I continue. Depending on the significance of the alteration, this could be hours or days. I find that this deliberate and unhurried approach produces the best results.

I feel silly having to report that I am still agonising over whether to use “silvan” in the “Quietude” (previously “The Muse”) poem, but so simple and concise is my poetry (the whole of “Quietude” is four lines—in stark contrast to these verbose updates) that I cannot allow a syllable within it that I do not love.