Wonder Of Her Hand

Wonder Of Her Hand
© Surazeus
2025 01 14

Wandering along Purattu River shore 
where copper stones glitter in silver stream, 
Gula searches for fruit on tangled trees. 
"The stars shine so brightly in the dark sky, 
they resemble gold supurgillu quince 
that my mother once plucked for me to eat." 

Smiling with sharp joy of anguished despair, 
Gula reaches out wonder of her hand 
to catch innocence of the falling star. 
"My aching heart hungers for faith of love, 
but when I search for food to fuel my heart 
I find stars too distant for me to reach." 

When blazing gold star of celestial light 
transforms into delicious juicy quince, 
Gula tries to grasp fruit with trembling hand, 
but it vanishes into swirl of sparks. 
"Things we desire are brief phantoms of hope 
that lure us to wander lost in the world." 

Hearing sharp cry of pain among palm trees, 
Gula finds Ninisina on her back, 
belly round with child ready to be born. 
"Breathe deep celestial spirit of the stars, 
and push with passion of love to assist 
emergence of your child into this world." 

While suckling new-born daughter Ninkarrak, 
Ninisina hums river lullaby, 
eyes gleaming with tears as she offers thanks. 
"Your guidance in helping me birth my child 
shines bright as starlight in dark cloudy night, 
for I would have died without your warm hands." 

After Gula takes mother and new child 
safe to shelter of her river-mud house, 
she cries because she has no food to share. 
"I used to gather fruit from blooming trees 
that flourished tall along the river shore, 
but Pabilsag enclosed them in high walls." 

Startled by angry shout calling her name, 
Ninisina whispers for help to hide. 
"That devil Pabilsag, who stole trees, 
kidnapped me from my home with grasping hands, 
and forced to me bear this child of his seed, 
but I escaped paradise to live free." 

Stumbling outside to kneel in river mud, 
Gula glares at the man with a hunting bow. 
"No person by that name lives around here. 
I am hungry because all the quince trees, 
once free for anyone to gather fruit, 
you locked inside walls guarded by spear men." 

Aiming sharp arrow at her exposed breast, 
Pabilsag pulls bow taut and glares in rage. 
"Dirty thieves like you steal quince from my trees, 
trees I planted with my father, Enlil, 
to feed the gods who rule the world with laws. 
I built paradise to keep my trees safe." 

Pulling bow more taut, he shouts loud command. 
"I demand you return my wife and child, 
or I will kill you and claim all your land. 
My child is heir to kingdom of my rule." 
Grasping sand, Gula hurls it in his eyes, 
then grabs arrow she dodges rolling back. 

Leaping forward with intent to protect 
woman he enslaved against her free will, 
Gula stabs arrow straight into his heart, 
then sobs in sorrow as he writhes in pain, 
but when she steps forward to heal his wound 
he grabs at her throat, so she lets him die. 

Bearing his body on small two-wheeled cart, 
Gula, with Ninisina and her child, 
stands before locked wood gates of paradise. 
"I killed Pabilsag, cruel tyrant of greed, 
so I demand that you acknowledge me 
monarch by right to rule this paradise." 

People inside paradise open gates 
and cheer as Gula strides down the road 
to stop before the temple ziggurat. 
Priestess Inanna in long robe and crown, 
raises brass wand with ruby in top ring. 
"I crown Gula new Mother Queen of Umma." 

Sitting on large throne in the temple hall, 
with Ninisina sitting at her side, 
Gula presides over inaugural feast. 
"Now we replace his greedy tyranny 
with generous commune of our common good, 
where everyone who labors shares our wealth."