I shall live…
where life is plane geometry….with
pyramids dimensional and
weighted…holy squared on
bedded rock…as desert reference
to orient my sanity
against a pale horizon.
I shall live…
where great Nile’s
summer floods force
papyrus gifts…impaled
to verticality through
thin siltiness…where
Egyptians draped in shadow
slice pomegranates…figs
with obsidian knives…and
stain incarnadine the
carving wood.
I shall transfigure…
to flensed bones
Ra bleached to whiteness…
burned in a marble crucible
to spare ash…collected…balance
weighed against a
feather.
Bonnie Marshall
The weighing of the heart of Hunefer by Anubis, before the Devourer Ammit: from the Egyptian Book of the Dead, 19th Dynasty, c. 1285 B.C. (British Museum, via National Geographic)
Proem... 
Barb and barbel, soft down these weighed words, noted, masked, a slow cooled river, our estuary minds.
I shall treasure your so eloquent words, Simon.
Bonnie, I love the way you wove the Egyptian funerary rites into the poem with your own sense of self. You’ve captured ancient egypt in a song and therein lies eternity. >KB
You quite caught my breath with your comment, KB. Please note that there was not one sparrow.
Smiles. But I love sparrows. >KB
Oddly, I spent a large part of this morning reading around in the Bible — First Samuel, the Book of Ruth, and for pure heavenly, healthy sexiness, the Song of Songs: I really like the tone of this!
Then it was appropriate. Sincere thanks!
I’m so excited to have ‘discovered’ you! Your words are pure magic wrought in imagination. This poem is stunning in simplicity and yet full of mindful and mystical references. You have a rare talent here. Speaks to my core.x
Well, then, I am excited to have such a thoughtful, reflective and gracious reader!!
Wonderfully dreamlike. Love the rythm of this.
That you should think so, Jenifer, is very important, for I value your opinion.
What strikes me most about this poem is the geometrical references throughout. I’ve never thought before about the geometry of the Egyptian world, and yet there it is, “plane” as day, in the image you begin with. Lovely to be reading your words again, Bonnie!
Sally, I’m so pleased to read your insightful comment, and I thank you for it. I’ve missed your presence. Smiles.
Reblogged this on Cristian Mihai.
Reblogged this on Wyrdwend.
Most grateful, Jack. Thank you. Smile.
Great use of Egypt! Well done.
I’m glad you think so, and appreciate your thoughtfulness of sending a comment. Smile.
Reblogged this on Life's Travels and commented:
I am not an expert on Ancient Egyptian symbolism and mythology, but I found this poem to contain intriguing imagery
I’m sincerely grateful, Omar. Please know that. Smiles.
You are welcome.
Bonnie, I don’t know if you are aware of this but many years ago Julian Jaynes wrote a seminal book claiming that the reason Egyptian art appears two dimensional is not that they lacked the skill to show depth, but rather that they only saw things two dimensionally because human consciousness had not yet fully developed. I mention this because, as one of your commentators has already noted, your poem contains many geometric references.
Fascinating, and I thank you, Malcolm. I’m thinking…this makes absolute sense. Smiles.
I must research this! Incredible.
So much about Egypt is fascinating…this frieze especially.
I didn’t say it was true but Julian Jaynes certainly thought it was.
I lived on the desert for a few years, and needed to learn to see with “desert eyes,” for distance does play with your mind. I appreciate the insight, Malcolm.
Beautiful images, Bonnie.
That you should think so, Mary Ann, I very much appreciate. Smiles.
so much to discover on your blog. this piece is wonderfully imaginative, sending the reader to an exotic, magical place. do you typically write in reaction to an art work, or do you try to find one that complements your poem? in any case this one is as delicious as figs sliced with obsidian knives.
Occasionally I start with a photo or painting. Breughel and Durer pop to mind. Most often not. “Two Angels Walk Into a Bar” began with Meredith’s wonderful photograph. You’re such a wonderful reader, Michael. Thank you.