Black Song of Gilgamesh II
by Aidan Andrew Dun
In poor back-alleys
mudbrick zones
vast-walled Uruk’s
fathers mutter:
‘In the rains you work
our sons to death
in chain-gangs
force their labour;
ravage the virginities
of our daughters
by rights of the hegemon.
‘Our wives resort to
home-demons
to fend themselves
from an overlord’s
superfluous desires:
Gilgamesh who confiscates
farmsteads of countrymen
when girl-children resist
his despotic nuptials
mockeries of marriage-rite
forgotten in a fortnight.
‘Drunk he disembowelled
a poor brickmaker, men say
to warm his feet in winter!
His humble bondspeople
would deem such crimes
unbelievable, impossible;
but malignant talk
blows everywhere
like wind from the desert
at the top of the world
out towards Simurrum.
‘A countercharm is called-
for to tame this animal.
Let us summon shamans
sick, outcast, use spells
to recruit the great harlot
Shamhat of the temple-whores;
commission the seductress
to swamplands of Larak
where north-trappers
swear a green man
ranges the Taurus.
‘We cry a spring-torrent
across the flood-plains
thanks to Gilgamesh
our handsome Lord:
headstrong autocrat
heiromonarch of lust.
A scorpion must sting
the royal testes
to hobble this prancing
red-eyed bull of the sun:
bring terrifying Enkidu!
I find great imagery and metaphor in this poem. It speaks of man’s lives, sins, desires and the ever present wars among men who want to rule other men. It is well written. A past life described with great honesty and elegance as it repeats again and again!
A lot of American Psycho in Gilgamesh at this stage, perhaps two or three more sections to write, he will pull himself together hopefully;-). Thank you so much Susanne