...And Inanna Stood Unveiled

"Behold, I'm Inanna, great Queen of the Heavens

I open my ear to the Great Below

I seek to pity my misshapen sister

Into her bleak realm of darkness I'll go

And so Inanna donned her worldly attire

And prepared herself for her descent to Hell

Instructed her faithful servant

Ninshubur

On how to act if her mission should fail

"Go to Eridu, the temple of Enki

The God of Wisdom knows the food of life

He knows the water of life, he knows the secrets

Surely he won't let me die!"

And thus Inanna set for her journey

To indulge herself on her sisters fate

"Open the door!" she commanded fiercely

As she stood before Arallu's gates

But at each of the seven bolted doorways

She had to give a piece of her gown to prevail

Naked she entered Ereshkigals throne room

And Inanna stood unveiled

The Great Bitch rose from her seat

In her eyes all anger's glow

Accompanying her were the

Annuna

The judges of the Great Below

[Ereshkigal:]

"Hated sister

You have come

Did your arrogance now fade?

Bow down low

Listen closely

'Cause your judgement has been made!"

Yes, your judgement has been made!

"In this trial

You'd been found guilty

Abandon hope, abandon faith

Condemned you are

My dearest sister

And your sentence shall be

Death!"

"Reduced to nothing but a carcass

Her beauty and her life I took

As a piece of rotting meat

She's dangling from a hook."

[Ninshubur:]

"For three days and nights Inanna did not return

The world shall hear my cries of lament

But I must seek out my mistress's father

To fulfil the task on which I was sent"

The wise god Enki pitied Inanna

And decided to answer

Ninshubur's pleas

Although she had craved for

From where no one returns

He arranged for Inanna to be set free

[Inanna:]

"Born again I return to the sunlight

Renewed in vigour for all to see

But as I return to the Great

Above

The fiends of Arallu are accompanying me"

[The Daemons of the Underworld:]

Inanna, you have to provide

Another soul as replacement for thee

For no-one escapes from here

So give us your servant

[Ninshubur:]

To continue your suffering!

-"No! She'd been loyal to me!"

Take a look at your husband

Dumuzi

On your throne in his finest array

Now what doth' thou say?

He never shed any tear

Cause he gained all your powers!

-"Yes, take Dumuzi away!"

"So take this lowly traitor

Remove his manhood and his pride

Until the end of days

He shall be at my sisters side!"

Dumuzi's sister, Geshtianna

Begged that she might take his place

Such compassion moved Inanna

And lightened up her hardened face

"Each one must dwell in the deep Abyss

For six months he'll have to stay

But at the change of the seasons

The other goes the downward way!"

"Behold, I'm Inanna, Great Queen of the Heavens

But I had witnessed where all

Light would fail

And learned when there's Light

there must also be Darkness

As I, Inanna stood unveiled"