Tuesday, September 1, 2015

Inanna Mask


INANNA:  The Great Goddess of Sumeria


I am the morning and evening star 
I go down into darkness and arise dancing
I mount the sky to my high throne
The starry heavens are the robe upon my shoulders

I am the loud-thundering storm
The rain upon the land,
The shimmering midday heat
The welcome floods that feed the thirsty land

At the end of day, all creatures lift their eyes to me,
Make love in my name. 
And when sweet sleep has ended
I fill the bedchamber with day.

Once,  I went below
To my sister, Ereshkigal
To the the Queen of Death.

She took my  lapis measuring rod
She took my life into herself
She hung me to rot upon the wall.

But Ereshkigal could not bear the pain of living.
She traded my corpse away
For the promise of healing.

But I arose reborn:

And I returned to the above world.
I took back my rod
And  my crown and my lapis sceptre.
Every year my lover  Dumuzi
Leaves me grieving
to return to the halls of my sister.
The land mourns for Dumuzi.
But he is too is reborn, 
the shepherd of the fields and the  soil
To plough his seed into the Queen of Earth and Sky.

I bring you many gifts:

I bring the arts  of allure and delight,
And flax and cream and barley for your table,
I give you paper and pen, the book, the art of speech.

Oh, my people!

Parade before me in your finest robes,
Sing to me with your drums,
Make offerings to me,
Of incense, sweet-smelling cedar,
Fine, fat sheep, long-haired sheep,
Butter, cheese, and dates.

Return with Me from your shadow lands.
Use my gifts with honor.

Enter My House,
Eat from my table,
Sleep in my bed.
Take unimagined pleasures.

By Mary Kay Landon



painting by John Singer Sargeant

5 comments:

Trish and Rob MacGregor said...

oh wow! That mask is exquisite! And the poem explains it beautifully.

Roll Cage Mary said...

Is this a remake of an earlier mask, or a totally new one?

'Tis very beautiful.

Lauren Raine said...

A new one.......I've had to remake quite a few of the original series.

Roll Cage Mary said...

From Cailleach of Ben Cruachan & Cairngorms - fire stories!

http://www.strathblanefield.org.uk/Craigallian%20Fire/FireStories3.htm

http://www.carbethhutters.co.uk/code/craigallian.html

Lauren Raine said...

Fascinating! Thanks!