Hakim. The Gatekeeper from Esagila.

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Salute.

Title:

Hakim. The Gatekeeper from Esagila.

(A lone voice whispers)

In ancient Babylon 

I once stood alone and mixed fire

Iron and clay 

All day 

Creating a spell
To entice
My only light 

To come my way 

Sent merchandise of gold and silver

To her
The Pythoness of Endor 

Hidden in dark woods
Over the deepest of rivers 

Bundles of finest fresh linens and purple silk 

To satisfy her and her ilk

Citron wood and every kind of object

I could ever find 

Made of white ivory and black marble 

Whenever I could
No matter the expense 

Incense sticks
And scented Egyptian
Candlesticks

Made of expensive Frankincense 

Delicious crates of red wine

Bamboo baskets filled with white flour and yellow wheat 

Fields of fat cattle and herds of baying sheep 

Priceless trained horses and golden inlaid chariots 

New slaves of broken souls

Lascivious ladies and ravenous men 

To do her bidding 

Even acts of depravity
Linked to the forbidden 

For the fruit of my soul
And to be joined to her again 

A bright light
I once saw 

On a seemingly endless night 

But in the year 323

When my leader
Alexander the Great 

At only 32

Died and was eternally set free 

In the opulent palace of Nebuchadrezzar 

She

The Lady of the Wild Woods
The Pythoness of Endor 

Cursed me to chase her

Forever 

The Queen

I once conjured by fire
Iron and clay 

So today
In the 21st century 

Her I still chase 

Since eternal life
Is now my only penitentiary 

My only great living version
Of Babylon of old 

When I desired to sire 
A queen I once met 

Dancing
The Raqs Sharqi 

So fiercely
That her raw beauty 

I can never forget 

Adorned in soft crimson and glittering purple linen 

Clad in silver

Wearing gold and shining diamond stone earrings 

Reborn into the likes of
Badiaa Masabni 

It's why I still chase her
If I could confess 

For underneath 

Beneath all things linked
To trying to achieve immortal strength 

It's why now
To seek her out

Once more 

I always choose to break free  

From the external grip

Of The Valley of Death 

(C)
Copyright John Duffy 

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