Tuesday, July 22, 2014

Agony of the Priestess Shamhat



(A Blank Verse for the priestess)


Hear her Semitic moans in the halls and Tombs of
Tartarus; whose eyes have seen the moth-bones
Of kings. Whose mouth has drunk their acrid wine:
Once beheld as the fairest star divine.
She is the moist fungus, algae, the scab—
That clings to the eyelids of Enkidu!
Where low the tombs, high Sumerians lie!
Now but vulture shadows with broken wings.
Tell all: hear the great priestess Shamhat cry:
Her skull stone stricken, staring to the sky…!
No rays of the moon to cross her vast night—
The owl and the sphinx and the gross toad:
Indecipherable leave their mockery,
Endure her ceaseless prowl, imaginings, —
Her cry of kingdoms lost and gods dethroned:
Bear her endless moans in Tartarus’ tombs.

No: 4485 (7-22-2014)