Humbaba

Humbaba,
he whose face is made 
of entrails
lord of death
father of decay
who dwells within
the forest of the hills
beyond the rivers
above the plain
who feasted on the bodies
of the drowned
when the rivers
driven mad by the god
of water and thunder
wind and rain
the waters above
and the waters below
known to some as Enlil
and to others 
by other names
overflowed their banks
drowned across the fields
dissolved the mud brick
houses of men
as if they were honey 
in boiling water
swept before them
rafted bodies 
in great piles
to rot under the sun
when the land dried
and the rivers 
returned to their courses
as if nothing whatsoever
had happened
leaving only
piles of bones.

the ravens, 
crows, 
vultures 
a festal day
the stench of sacrifice
rising to the heavens

Ut napishtim
Atra-hasis
who rode out the storm
warned by wise Enki
was granted immortality
whether in reward
or punishment
is hard to say.

There are many gods
some petty
some noble
some savage
like men
for men made the gods
in their image
as below
so above.

* * *

Don't look like nobody's home.

Door's unlocked.

Huh. That ain't good. Wonder if someone beat us here.

Phaugh! What is that smell!

Somethin very very dead. (pause) Ya can tie your handkerchief over yer nose an breath through yer mouth... but I never found it helps much. S'th reason most of th old school boys smoked cheap cigars. Nothin like a greasy 10 cent dago cheroot ta cover up the smell of a ripe one. (pause) you ain't gonna hurl on me are ya? You don't look so good.

No. I wouldn't want to contaminate a crime scene.

Yah, well,  you sure as hell wouldn't be the first one ta do it...

Maybe I will take up smoking.

Good idea.  Ya change yer mind, getcher ass outside or you'll never hear th' end of it.

Lights?

Lessee... nope, nothin, burned out, or powers off.  Owes ConEd some money maybe.

Maybe.