Kira Nelson: Man's Impulse to Subcreate

While driving to Lynchburg this weekend, I found myself reflecting further upon Tolkien’s thoughts of man as subcreator. I greatly enjoy classical and instrumental music and had the latter playing in the car. While listening to instrumental music I often find myself unexpectedly singing along, not with words but just releasing a melody. This is more true than ever when my favorite tracks are played. It is as if I cannot help myself at all as song comes out of me much to my surprise. I then found myself thinking of the instrumental part of a track as the song of creation, a mythopoeia of sorts. A song that consists of the deep refrain of the ocean, the rushing of the wind through the trees, the humming tune of the stars as they dance across the sky, the laughing trickle of a brook, the cheerful chirruping song of the birds. Man is born into this song that is ever present and all around him, greeting his senses as it splashes in his face, blows through his hair, sings in his ears. He is given the honor and opportunity of joining in, contributing by singing out his own song and thus engaging his function as a subcreator.