Bang the drum, Ninshubur
As you are the only one holding the tether to return Inanna
to the surface
Even the call to Inanna’s beloved brother Utu, goes unheard
The wise father Enki however, son of Anu, hears her cries with compassion
Gives Inanna all of the ME’s
so that she has the wisdom to ascend from the clutches
of Ereshkigal’s nether-dom.
Don’t get me wrong, the journey has not been in vain,
Inanna has gained clarity from her visit with the Queen of the Underworld
But now it is time to leave her behind
and Inanna will likely not return
to this place.
As for the betrayal of Dumuzi
Inanna’s husband
Old King
Enki will send his messengers again
They will bring him down into the bowels of reciprocal punishment
Dumuzi will try to run to his sister Geshtinnana
like he always does
begging her to save him from the results of his own actions
But Geshtinanna does not wield the power to free Dumuzi
from his own self undoing
Again and again he runs from his wife,
his beloved, his consort
himself
All the while Inanna
like a lion chasing her tail
tries to save him from this fate
Tries to stop the cycle from repeating itself.
But Dumuzi, the bull,
will not budge.
So now the messengers come
grabbing him by every limb
Innana ascends through the gates
She’s nearly at seven now
Upon her emergence
she will pass the baton to Dumuzi
Granted only a momentary and wistful glance,
a sigh of release
as she grazes just a touch of flesh
before his ultimate
descent.
Inanna longs for Dumuzi’s return
for the cycle of healing
to complete
She will mourn him again
as she always does
Repeat the ritual
Tear at the flesh, the skin, at the gown
Cut the hair flush
to the base of the crown
Cry and scream
Mourn and weep
They will keep losing each other
ad infinitum
to opposing realms
until wholeness is restored.
Maybe next time, she says
under fettered breath.
Inanna can almost see the light now
Ninshubur, bang the drum
It is as much for your own salvation
as it is for her, your beloved mistress.
The time has come for Inanna’s
final ascent from
the underworld.
Help to restore her
to earthly Queen-dom.
You are the lighthouse
her beacon
of hope
Carry her home
On smokey rings
that rise from embers
of frankincense
and myrrh.
Shining Portal Wellness 