THE TABLETS

I-XV
Presented by the scholar-translator

Transmitted through

ARMAND SCHWERNER
Grossman Publishers, New York, r97r

Siil,iillif ilinN,' trBRnRY

The author wishes to express his gratitude to both the City University and rhe Srare Universiry of New York for their helpful gralts,

THE EMPTYING

Copyright @ ry67, ry68, 1969, r97o, r97r by Armand Schwerner All rights reserved Eirst published in r97r by Grossman publishers
44 West 56dr Streer,

New York, N.Y. roorg

Published simultaneously in Camda by Fitzhenry and Whiceside, Ltd.

SBN 67M8998-X (cloth) SBN 67o-6899918 (paper) Library of Congress Catalogue Card Numbe' 7+-l4g52a Prirted in U.S.A-

291186

KEY:

ufltranslarable;

+++++++tnissittg;
?) rtariant read.ing; by the scholar-tratlslator, supplied f

TABTET
All that's left
is

I
* douhtful reconstruction

pattern* (shoes?)'

I rooted about

..

. like

a' . .'

..

. sow* for her pleasure

* atavism; a hieroglyph; perhaps 'a fetal pig,' 'a small
pig,' 'goddcss'

the (power ?) * for all of [us]

* perhaps 'damage,'

if

a borrowing; cf. cognate in N.

Akkadiao; 'skin-burn'

I made a mistake. The small path was barely muddy' Little squush; and wet socks.* It is (scholarship I ) (meditation l)

TJ*Illli.iiHl;',"
and the

*u'"

a probrem' Possibrv

....

(energy?) the (energy ?) the (pigl) x of the [mistake]!.....

(energyl)........
* hierogtyph again: 'god' may be meant here war/good-ness. .

../cunt* (thresher l)/marvel/cunt */bright-yellow/

bright-ochref /bright-bright-yellow/bright-ochre-yellow/ bright-yellow-yellow-yellow-ochre-yellowlS
* hieroglyph, probably not syllabic. Very old FG: conrake in the KapKol-Bak-Silpotli-Wap frieze in the young consort's left hand. (See Ouspenskaya: Tlr
Young Consort and the Ra\e Mucftery,Egypt. Annals,
Surah P, P,

ceivably haloed by

hair-but rakeJike, very much

the

iii.)
The Prismatic Functioa ia Early

see Halevy-Cohen,
a

Maa:

stady

it

Imperceptible Gndationr, U. U' Press,

Ak., tgzz-r962

{ analogue of segmented compass readingsl as ur, rNr, etc. We know the god Pri-Prik usually assumed yellow guises in his search for the eighteen-fold path. See Marduk, The Babylonians, Hirsute vII, Liber A4r3, Tigris.

oi
the cmptying of yellou

$'l'hc cr:rir',. srrlrrcrrl. is u rare example of restriction (ittcg{r,ics ilr r,rrr. 'lirrc' or .cadence, or ,unit, or 'vcrscl.'()nly rrorrr in:rl lolrls rrsctl.

the ants look (scrounge

l)

for food

the ground-pig (lower god

l)

sucks dry

filth for water

lhe palaces are yellow

(vomitl/N

i)

+++++ +++++ +++++

++++++++++++ +++++++++++++++++

look at the fishermen in their patterns (shoes ?) ! they count the directions of emptiness by 6sh-names N shad
Ir cod
S rnackerel

W tuna

he calls himself

'with grey horses,

lr'om the shad no rain weighs on the breeze

I

he is 'having 6ne green oxen'

rom the cod the loud wind is dry (unforgiving l )

with (purpose ?) .F + + + + + + + + + + in the dream (nightmare + + + + + + + +,t- + + t- + + + + ofa sharp blade

l)

* interesting. We lind ourselves at or rt(:rr llr( v.ry point in time where the word. tott.r,1, rrr ,,ri1;rr,,
shades
I

[testicles]
shit (sweat l) upon the rain upon the saliva upon the lieart's blood upon the . . . .

.......

for the ground

off into an abstraction.

r:urgirg-mackerel-tail-up-smoke-death*
* virrually unrr:lnrlJtable. This i' ln rrtcrrlrt :rl .rl Indo-European nominalization ol lli-1trt p-.t trn,l t' plonz, We can convey little of thc cort(1|lllrl r,rt(
gory 'flsh-death,' rather 'up-down-lish-dying'l,r
,,rr r ir r11'

children's strange (beautiful ?) early blood in the . . . . . . . from the old dryness (underwearl) vomit (yellow l/north l) does not slake ground pus (ochre l/NNr ?) does not stanch the wounds in the ground

which refers io a cotermioous visionrry rnttllrhysi, t,, both time-bound organisms (likc thc rrrrrs, sry) rrrr,l
the Death Go,J. plonz, in his tin.rcless broorlingt

bile (yellow-ochrel/NNxrl) doesnor + + + + + + + + + + he is splayed on the . . . . . . . . . like a worn-our pig (gocfi ) heisun- + + + + + + + + heisdis- + + + + + + + + + + + + heis + + + + + + + + + + + -less heisde- + + + + + + + + + + + heis impossible on the dry ground + + + + + + + + + + before heisnon- + + + + + + + + heispre- + + + + + + + + + +rt
* rlrc isolatcrl prclix rcrun:rnls urc cLrriorrs. .l.hc rablct srtrrs rrrlrlx.,l orrr rvirlr r:rlc. Is rlris srllrrrcnr rrrr cerly :lll{Irl'l l(, rrrritr. l,rrrrr rrrrrl rrrr.:rrrirrg? grlIlrit.:rs wcll
rrr rrrlrrtrrrrti;rl lrrrlrt irrr.ssl

lrl

tlr

tur)ir is mighty the tuna is mighty the wayof up-down, smoke-death rrcrr tlance around the stone

tlrc sloncs rlance over the

pit
clourls I )

tlr, lritsrlance beyorrd the bodics like the airJrog (god of low rain
tlrr lr,rilit s thc bodies the botlies the botlics thc botlies thc bodics 1,, y,rrrrl tlrc borlics thc trccs (lancc tlr lxrrlits ncctl to l'Lrck tlrc trccs tlr, ,ll'(trttfot].livirrgi) l,,rli,,, w:rt lw( rrr] tiglrt ,l:rys tll l,lrxrtl o[ llrc forrr lrrxlics slrrrl tlr, lrlrxxl ol tlrc forrr lrrxlir.s rrxl rlr, lrlrxxlol llrc lorr lrrrrlics rrr:rclir.r'r'l rlr, l,l,r,rl,rl tlrc lirtl'lrorlics lrrn:rr
+

l,,rrr lrrlrr', lri rr.l

(

rl r

l,l,l.

irr r,l tlrr.rrr irr tlr, l,rllilrr.,

rrrr,rr

they they

will will

change the bile change the cold pus unless . . . . . . because . . . . . . . fish<leath
the winter of

TABLET
cate-

II

they will-would-might-have-can-change*

uxr

This tablet consists of a numbered list. At lcart { few of the units may be titles to chants which hovc never been found, or which may nevcr havc bccn written. Its exact placement in the context o[ thc
series is a problem,

* tense untranslatablc; outsidc Indo-European

gories

do they destroy the ochre, the shad/shad-cod

do they eat

r.

empty holes in the fish-dying-be coming directions

+++++++++++ ++++++++++++++ ++++++++++ ++++++++++++++++++++ +++++++ +++++++++ +++++++++++++++++++++++++

....

they wait for the fat pig (god ?)

2-......

stringsandpieces++++r

I F++

3. the children dance* in waters of Esh-death

* the idiosyncratic placement of the central horiz,ontnl

cunei{orm wedges suggests the word may bc 'brcsthc.'

. of the great Ones (Onel) *

* capitalization clearly indicated. The number is in doubt. Is this the pig, or an incredible presage of the
early Elohiml

4. they are dry scales + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + 5. on the inside their scales are wet (moist P) 6. they are empty holes; why do they walk and walk ? 7. the + + + + + + + children eat. . . . . . . . . . . strings and pieces tl. the empty children run in [their] patterns (shoes l) .... fish-death e. thepig (godl) waits ro. the children

++++++++ +++++++++++++ +++++++++++ +++++++ ++++++++++++++ ++++++++++

+ + + + + + + + + + pattern (shoesl).

rr.
r

the

children

.....

ballgames

.r. the children

ll. .............

must eat (mighccould-will-want-to-eat I ) rain pintrpnit*

[|.,il,*::ffi:.
r4. thc road
I

Probably an archaic form

of "olle'

. penis-thinking pintrpnit

somctimes they walk on the river-road with crocodile pintrpnit l(t, tltcy can walk near the knom* in their stupid ignorance of fish-death

l.

* conceivably 'the Spirit which dcnics'

t7, o thcy arc stupid they are lacking thcy walk an(l walk t ll, tlrcy scparatc fish and (lcatlr 19, thcy rkr not scparntc 6sh antl dcath
al),
,

It,

rcflr thc knom thcy tamc thc ruroch pintrpnit rrot far from thc knom, on spring nights, thcy tnmc thc urur pintrpnit in rtupirl ignornncc in ittq)i(l ignorancc how tlo thcy wolk nnd walk I in wllking thc rivcr ros(l thcy tumc witcnt pintrpnit

*auroch, wiscnt, urus: largc long-horned ancestor of

the modcrn bull

TABTET

III
it

24. they are taller than urus pintrpnit 25. how smafl they are beside the urus pintrpnit 26. the . . . to suck the rain

. 27. ............

the further e?nprying

the calyx, the cal1x, someone has ripped

very warm on our knees

28. the long men* + +

++++++++++

to eat the chil(lren

* possibly 'priests'

will not make loam, it will crumble (god?) has pulled life ofi + + + + + + + the pig (god l) is stronger than a thoughtless child
it
the pig rny chest

29. not merely to eat, but the blood 30. not merely to eat, but the knom

empties

. my chest

I can no longer stand in the middle of the field and

I am missing, my chest has no food for the maggots

++++++++

3r. + + + + + ++ + + + + + + + + + + + forever 32. brains and liver .............. many favors 33. the sun/the sun/rhe sun/the (powerl)* for all of [us]
* possibly 'damage'

tlrcre is no place for the pollen, there is only a hole in the flower thc pus ... nectar

hummingbird

..

.....

tlrc field is a hole without pattern (shoes ?) tlrcre are no eyes in the back of the wisent's sockets llrc urus eats her own teats and her thc urus lies in

34. we have made no mistake/the (energy?)/the (energy ?) 35. the sun sits in the [testicles] ofthepig (godl) 36. thesun+ + + + + + + + + + ++ + + + + + + + + + + + 37. the long house + + + + + + + yellow (rv ?/shad ?/vomit l) 38. the sun from the cod 39. the sun from the cod 4o. the sun from the cod

milk and blood

llrc urus is a hole in the middle of the 6eld

4r. the

sun from the cod

42. the sun from the cod pintrpnit

... for the ground Itcsticles] 'with grey horses' drinks urine 'lnving fine green oxen'looks for salt lrt us hold ........ the long man upside down lct us look into his mouth . . . . ....... selfish saliva + + + rrspluck + + + + + + + + + +forbrothertree lrt lcl us kiss the long man, let us carry the long man Itl trs kiss the long man, let us fondle the Iong man lrt tts carry the long man as the ground sucks liis drippings Itt rrs fccl the rlrippings from his open groin ....,. nectar Itt rrs kiss the hot wouncl, thc wct wouncl ..... ht unwrituntilhe iswhite an<l rlry ..... ... mychcst let ur l,xrk into his dry cvil mouth, lct us fontllc thc long man lll ur hypass thc wisent on thc rivcr-road pintrpnit hl ur nvoitl thc urus on thc rivcr.rortl pintrpnit ht ul rrucll thc anroch on thc rivcr-rontl pinrrl)nir ur curry thc bcautiful (rtrungc l) chiltlrcn ro thc knom ur ring with thc children by thc knom

let us set the children's beautiful (strangc?) skLrlls by rhc lrcarth when the rain comes. let us have rain let us have rain

TABLET

IV

tremblc and also to make the strangers piss in their pants {or fear and to make all neighbors know of the terrible . . . . . that is ours let them hear about it, let them know let them tremble like a spear going through the heart and through the back let them become a knowing spear, let them bore in, 6sh-death let them shake from the spear's blow, let them hear it sing I nee d to feel my solicl arm, I need to feel my mighty penis o my son at the other edge of fish-death o my son by the dark river-roacl I can't reach your fingertips o my sorr in the rain your livcr will make the barley shoot up o my son in the rain your eyes will see the way in the wheat o my son on the happy edge of the emptying, fish-death, pintrpnit o dark dark dark dark dark dark dark bark dark dark o dark you will-would-might-have-can, let us have rain
.........

+++++++++ +++++++++++ ++++.

Most large fragments are the result o[ lxrrizotrtrtl breaks. This Tablet (Iv) and the next (v), lr(^v.v( r , are vertically fractured. The reconstructiort ol t i,. almost certainly correct. Doubt lirgers xln)rrl tv The edges do not meet in three placcs; rttltct'tvisc it is a good tight fit. Whether the icliosytrclrtt i< c'tt tinuity derives from accident or design is rt 1rt,,l, lem which only time and {urther studics :utrl cr.,t vations will resolve. Note the cesuras.

is tl.re

man

a bush on 6re

like one drop of quartz) two cold onyx l)cr(ls

is the man fourJegged and

with teeth I

is Lhe is hc

man a hot woman I mud, of solid mud I is rhe man a bird I unhappy man on all fours I
rs

is t hc

thc man all blood, all bile

t

I
?

n t hc woman a lat belly I

rs r.,
,

hc man sleeping in a god

tlre man's head aching

s

I
?

like one piece of petrified wood like one hard-finger-bone, one moonligl)t on ir )rt in the shape of one clay tablet in frost . like bronze eyes in the shape of bronze statues of somctltittg wrrorl like menstrual blood congealed in coltl utLr,l like the world, a frve-year-old's bloorly . . . like r frog stufied with smallwhite str)ncs like...... empty + + + + + maggots

L x

the man play

with her lips I

,.ur IIrc rnan make himself come

(
.r

I I | - + + runlingl,us like a .......... cold or.ryxbeacls

lrke amber

lrc woman come on top of the man

I
?

dead trees

rr lrcrr rlrrcs the

,1,,r's

man sacrihce his hands ? tlrc rnan wipc her belly with sperm

like sheep draped in cold mu,l Iike stories about ice, about frozctr
wlrcrrt

,l,rcs

tlrt

rrran put goocl leavcs under his testicles

I
?

-l I I -1 I I I t I o[ nlirgl.l(]ls
in thc slrrrpc of
u clay trrbk

,1,

rlr tlrc nran Inrt his lips on tlrc sheep's

trrlrlcr

t itr lrost
...
.

'1,'r', llrc rrrarr pttt hrtnrl rrrrtl cllrow in lris e ow's vltgitta ?
Irr' r;rrr lris lx rr is irrto solt clrrtlr I ,lrr,, lrl lorrrlr lris wotrurtr's . . . . . . . . I r1,,, ', llrc rlrtr prty to lrcr vrtlvrr lol nrirr I
,1,,, ,,

lilic,lcrrrlr

irr l,l,rssr,nrs

wlrcrr

lili.c tlrc rlcrrtlr itr lx t rilic,l w, r,r I lilic t lrc rlcrrtlr in tw,r c,rlrl ,,tryx l,cir,lt
IiIi.r' sIrrlics rrlxrrtl it'r'. ;rlroul ltozctr rvlrr'.rl

does he lament the sickness

in his groin I

likc a frog stufied with small white

pebbles

TABLET
is is is

it

V
I
what pleasurel what pleasurel what pleasure I what Ipleasurel I what pleasure ! what terrific pleasurc
?

is

+++++++++++ + +++++++++++ +++ +++++++++++ ++

night; does he swim in the river I

likc like like like

shcep drapcrl by cold mud

hail burning on the pyre ants, a rotten cadaver, the dead trees
a leg

I is he much bigger than a fly's wing I

the man bigger than a fly's wing
his hard penis ten times a fy's wing his red penis fifteen times a fly's

wing? is his mighty penis 6fty times a fly's wing I locs his penis vibrate like a fyt wing ? is his arm four and one half times a strong penis I is his arm two hundred-twenty-Eve times a fly's wing
rs

..agreatarm
in the shape of petrifierl
wootl what pleasure
I

his body three times his great arm

I
?

is his body is his body

,1,

thirteen times his red penis

?

what pleasure! what pleasure! what pleasurel

three-hundred-thirty-six times a big fly's bodyl

x s he
xs

touch his body with pleasure

rI

throughout the night ? what pleasure! rr lrrr vulva tipped with spring color ? what terrific pleasure I , I x s hc move behind in her ? let us have rainl rirt's she vibrate like the wheel on the axle ? let us have rain ! what pleasure I ['t rrs call a flyt half-wing {ra lay a dra on this bull's horn It't rrs call a flyt half-wing {ra lay another {ra on this bull's horn (ra L't rrs cull afly's half-wing lay another (ra on this bull's horn l( r us crfl a fly's halt-wing \ra lay another ftra on this bull's horn L'l rrs c:rll a fy's half-wing (ra lay another {ra on this bull's hom llt rrs call a fy's half-wing ftra hold the bull down quiet li't rrs clll a flyt half wing {ra lay another (ra on this bullt horn lrr,rlt, thc bull's horn is more than six (ral hold down the bull's head Iay a pro on this cow's vulva frt trs crrll the man's red penis pro lay another 2ro on this cow's vulvr Itl rtr crrll thc man's rctl pcnis p/o lay anothcr 2ro on this cow's vulva lrl rrs crrll thc man's rcrl pciis plo thc cow's vulva is (ra fivc what plcasurc I Ixrk, what tcrrific plcasurcI [],[, thc cow's vulva is almost thrce 2ro lya whl plcasurcl 1no whtt plcnsurcl fro \ra lya pro lya lya \ra pro llr rrirn's nilcrifice(l lmrrtl ir rnorc tltrn onc Pro tlris twig i$ rnorc tlrnn onc y'ra lhis grcrtt tnclon ir forty ,{ra rottnrl lltt tttittr'r irchitrg hcnrl is forty {ra rountl rnfil'r rich groin ir tlrrcc y'ro fccl tlrir lamb rlrsnk, thrcc pro
she count f1y's wings

let's sacrifice this

twig

what

a pleasurel
I

let's sacriEce this great melon let's sacrifice this shank the hand is furious the aching head screams the sick groin is furious

what a plcasure

TABLET

VI

++++++++++ +++++++++ +++++++++++++

what a tcrrific pleasure! how will wc frighten the strangers now how will thcy piss in their pants I how will wc frighten the strangers now

+++++l-+++++ ++++++++++++++
+ + + + + + + for water

Here the scholar-translator has tried to aPProximutc the colloquial tone of the original' Unfortunatcly we have no information about the identity of thc addresseel anger and ridicule are directcd toword some immanent power which keeps changing i attributes; rough approximations oI its bcing moy be embodied in variously found names: Big Fat Flux Great Hole in the Cock Liver (perhapr a rcl' erence to poorly understood onanistic ritual pruc'

tices direcied

Sore-Ass-Mole-Face-Snivel-Kra

to the air-hog or the ground'pig) LittleMovcr Big

Anxious-Liar-Fart'Flyawry

Mover

Seventeen-Eyeball-Fusion-Up-Up Thc One of This Way The One of That Way Thc
One of No

Way

The Smeller The Digger The Schcming Pin' trpnit The Porous Poppycock The Mcan'Suck'
ing-Sponge-Pinipnipni

Flying-Slime The Big Eater The Pammount Gioin of the Sucking Air Old No'Namc Thc Rock The Fly The Killer of Water the Bcou' tiful (Strange ? ) Liar The Rain-spoiler Thc Wo' ter Dryer The Tree Dryer The Flow* Drycr The Urus Dryer The Creep The Knom of Licr The Great Trouble The Schemirrg Rock Tho Maggot The Friendly Buzzard Everybody's Hy' ena The Dumpy Snivel The Filthy Tcnt Thc Foosh. It has been suggested that the concrctc fig' ures belong to an earlier layer; our knowlcdgo,
however, is not at such a point of sophisdcation thst we can ;row attempt a Higher Criticism of this mo' terial. When we can, what gcrminativc cultural por' sibilities might we not discover?

Pnouk Lak

Pa'Pa'thc'

in the world. I can'tcome lott llnve oozcd into my + + + + + + + + + old Watcr Dryer 'I I +.t.+ + + + bccausc whcn I rcach thc cnd of my story, I'll still havc of it to tcll in me weiting to cxplodc the constipation in n pluggccl-up man aftcr . Movcr I still cen't comcr my women is unhappy with mc wuitr but rhc'r gctting + + + i- t- r' -f .f and maddcr Wltcr Drycr you orc frt trcc'gum end , , . , , . rnd fungur in my loint
h not mc, o Pr.Pr'the.FtyinS.Slimc, thlt ir not mc

.,....

I am not what I was, even my children know, their jokes cover their pity, stories
about ice, about frozen wheat show yourself Pnou, let me see you Lak, come into my house with a face just once old No-Name I will call you simple death show yourself Lak, let me blind you pnou
o Pinitou

twill + + + + + + + + + + + + face just once for my breaking

I ate a Dumpy Snivel for a child-eye

mouth

fault

Pinitou Pinitou*, this is not me

* curious; if this is the surname, or given name, of speaker, we are faced for the first time with a larized man, /lzs man, rescued from the and generalized 'I' of these Tablets. If it is /zi Pinitou, I find myself deeply moved at this reality of self; if we have here the name of an known deity or peer of the speaker, I am not
moved-

lo my son by the dark] river-road I can't touch your fingertips it was not me by the Knom who left you there Friendly Buzzard please let me touch you ....,pleasecome into the .. ' '..... and tear your I will fondle you, I will open you up and eat your + + + + + + + knock inbreaking + + + + + + + + + + + flames Killer of Water

I ++ ++++ ++ fow+++ + +++ ++ ++

+++++ ++++++++++++++++++
TheOneof No Way ........... unhaPpy with me + + + + + + + + + + + + + in the world, this place

1++++++

you are rainbow are you rainbow, I

will hate it

if you

are beautiful,

Knom of Lies
.

Air . [Great Hole] in the Cock Liver knock in breaking + + + + + + + + + + stone flames Killer of Water
Dumpy Snivel child-eye Isucker] faultfinder clry earth dry breaking . . . . . . . of a fault and another and two and three . . child-eye Killer of Water

Creep, Paramount Groin of the Sucking

Mean-Sucking-Sponge-Pinipnipni ...andI
Pinitou Pinirou Pinitou in dry cricket sperm [break unhappy] my mouth is full of blood Beautiful (Strange ?) Liar Iateinadream, Iwon + + + + + + + + + +,inadream you came to me Friendly Buzzard and took my flow of a knocking to break me for the sucking you need come seemewhenI .............. I will callyou simple death, let me blind you pnou and [hide from] me then, steal away from me, I will
o

+ + + + + + + you Pa-Pa-the-Flying_S1ime, Iwill enclose you with sharp ... ..... ,. The Fly, Iwill rakc yor.r with -r r- r. .r I r. .r- -t- I I Filthy Tcnt, t will r r t. I I .l I I .t I .l .t, I .l .t r for lrinikru ftrrpinitou who ltnowr me I know mc thir it not mc

TABTET

VII

Unfortunately most of the following Tablet be rendered into English. It has never been
ered. The original, which later disappeared, passed into the hands of a certain Henrik an archaeologically gifted Norwegian divine. he, working alone in the semi-darkness of late century archaeology, managed to make anything all of the text is itself a surpassing wonder. El

how

ooooe)ooooe)o@o+++++++ @@ooe +++++++++++++... @@oo)oo+++++++o@e ooo ooooooo@o@e@o@o

riitete riitete r6tete propiirpe nok pintrpniite

more taxing to common sense is his i

translation method. 'We know only that Henrik L. Iived for three a half years in Iceland, where he pursued his quarian researches. It was in this spirit that he

o@ooo@o@@@o

ooooooo

proached

his cuneiform Tablet, which

+++++++++++e
lrraldar gronen panakn6men gard6 (tai6n pnaupnau gott Jesu Kriste vitu6 6r enn e6hvat I [;iign oi gat hroir6rik papapa

he

with his irlclrrcol,rgir::rl li<lclity. ()rr l,rrl,r,rcc lx,wcvcr rr. llr( liy to lr;rvc tlrrs lrc;rrrtilirlly rrrrrsicrrl lcxl, Wrr rt 'l'. S. LIirrr rvlrrr \vrotc rlrirt lrc r,rrrlrl lisrcn lrv tlrr lr,'rrr r', In)r.try lr l.rrr;rr.r;,c., l,rrcrNrr tr, lrirrr, tvrtlr,L ltllrt ll tlrr rltvtlltl .rrrrl rrr r1,".,,,,,,,1)
wc

tion, the old prstor's iuterjectjolt of another anachro nism. irr this r'.rse Lrrrh(r"1 l.ligiqus nr.rtr.rilrl, into tlre lr,,rly of rlris 'l.rhlcr. Ilis ,k.v,,rrrru.rs r.r) rwily

the skaldic Vdluspd., the Prophecy o{ Viilva, Witch or Seeress, written about r,ooo A.D.: r. er enn e6 hvat (Do you know now, or don,t youl) z. Festr mun stilna/ok freki rinna (The chain will break/the wolf will get out). In addition, the 'faigdar ord' probably means,word of doom., sequence 'f3igdar o16' does appear in Old material. The substance o{ this Tablet, insofar inruirion and schohrship can make out, belongs in the conrext of this series, The To complicate marters further, Henrik L, adds ai. other symbol to the standard list used in editing thc ancient Mesopotamian texts. Together with "such srgns as ....... (untranslatable), ***** (missing). I I (supplied by rhe scholar-r ra nsla. tor), and so on. he includes also O O O O @, which he explains to mean ,confusing.' Tablet vli apper.rs ro te a nighrm.rre-poem oi dis.oluLion, edged wirh faint hopes of ulrimare rebjrth. The reader will notice oue lurthcr odd intercala,

translated into Crypto-Icelandic, a language we trot yet understa[d. Only two segments of this traordinary specialized u.rsion ar. clear; written classical Old Icelandic, they probably derive f

. ffaig6ar

o16l

l,,,rgilson k ggi steyp6ir pintrpncite I, rlktass panns punka hworis

(t)

r iitcte rcitete rijtete ]esu Kriste sakrifise pran6don hvat hvat papa

I++ ++++++ +++++

ooe
O

Punka hworis

eo
I

OOOO

Punka hworis

r it116 6r enn e6 hvat

l.str mun stilna/ok freki rinna

l,r ,rl,lrtr

gronen )csu Kristc sacrifisc pran6don

l,,grr g.rr.l(r rtri6n rr,,k [riil< pirrtrprriitc ak ['initrr 1,,u r;rl< nrirnctt lrrttpiir'yx

vrlrr

ctltl cd lrvlrt ? I r'11 r rllrtl stilrrrr/ok lrcl<iritrrrlr

ar

rrrrrr
Ir, ki,,1

llllllllll

1)

Irllii,,k Itcki,,li IrcLirrk Irchi

TABTET

VIII

il

yoa step on me

rnay your leg become green and gangrenoas

go into all the places you're frightened of ald forget why you came, like the dead

and may its lteauy flow of filth stop up your eyes foreuer,may your face go to crystal, may your meat be glass

what should I look for I what should I do I where I aside from you, great Foosh, who is my friend I a little stone, a lot of dirt, a terrible headache and more than enough worry about my grave. Hogs will swill and shit on me, men

in your throat and your luc\ing lail.Il you lilt your arms in grief may lhey neuer cotne doan and you be ftnoan as ldiotTree and may you neaer die

il you picftyour nose on my graae

may you be fxed foreuer in a stupid artit de, may the children wse yoa
as a

will

abuse me

jungle gym and turn your tnuscles to piss,

take your wedges and your mallet

from the stonc, wipe the stone clean of dead worms and bugs and waste keep things clean
tl.re sand

wipe

may you neuer find a place to sit and your bacftbone tire beyond relief,
tahereuer you slumble around may your heauy feet

squish urus dung and you srnell

li\e plagae

what am I supposed to do then

and you be ftnotua as Fool and Loser and may you neaer die

the right words wait in the stone they'll discover themselves as you chip away, work faster, don't think as long as you want,

il

you throu., your garbage on my graue

may

ik spirit haunt

you and sneaftinto your bed

may your sftin become uiscous

like men who wait

all right here's what I found what a rush at the last minute

I'm thirsty this curse better work; here it is, but

what
a

what

a cold place,

from the aisits of grease, may your woman become bright aith loathing and sneer at yoar balls.May your nostrils be stufftd tuith the spirit ol garbage and you hc l1norun as Big Nosc and Fal Hcal antl ntty you ncacr dit

cold place

to work fast in I'rtr gcttirrg sr i1I, lhisctrr.sc

Ix tlcr

wolli

il yot prrst nt1, graur unl ignort ittltulcrs l,ort /tttr, y yolt utr l:tort, httttttct.t rtttl lht ttrtusr't ttlutlll ttrh l)lit /,orlrlrt t ,ttt /'orll(r.r I l,it l.sortr thtirli u,ilh,trt lrl ttl t/tr'rrttlr

of high grass cut you lifte a scythe and nay you nerer become deal and be ftnoun

Alone and may you neuer die

as Cotuard and

whoever dtinks in this spirit of Ending

frightening and finds rock for his mallet

comes at last to these

places

. to find words like lined leaves but unlike the lined leaves they have me
memorable. What I leave adds me to you.

The reader who has followed thc cotlrsc ol tlrr" Tablets to this point may 6nd, upotr |xtliittg lrrt, to Tablet r particularly, that I have bccu rcslxrtts ble for occasional jocose invention rlthcr tl)rllr slli( archaeological Endings. I now regrct lny crrllicr llil pancy-an attitude characteristic of hcgi rr I i rrgr, manifestation o[ the resistetrce a mln r,ltclt sctnr when he faces the probability of a tcrr.ilic <lctrt,ttt upon his life energy. Looking back n.rysclf t,, tlrr first terrific meeting with these ancient poctrts, I t'rt still sense the desire to keep them to nysclf :rll tl while I was straining to produce these trrtttslrrli,rt pushing to make availablc wlrirt I ' -desperately
r

It

is

wanted to keep secret and inviolable.

another place. Talk on the stone moves

In addition I am worried that I may hrtvc

trri

translated part of the preceding Tablct, rl c,rlrtlrirr,

for you, like boats on a bay, like cuts on bark, like tracks on stone snow, like iron urus on winter clay, like iron urus, pintrpnit! When I'm wound around with wax, say so on stone. I leave my mallet, pintrpnit! I can still turn any way, touch my thigh, feel the heavy trees whose birds go down, I tower above the grass. It will not grow forever but thank you thank you that I can chip all this Endinglike tracks on stone snow, thank you, pintrpnit! + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + the hardest seed.

tion of dialogue and narrative. How uttstcrttly tlr ground I am plowing. walking on. mcrlrttlittg, I l ing to get the measure of.... There is :t 1.1t',,rvir ambiguity in this work of mine, but I'm ttol stt where it lies. Some days I do not doubt thlt tltc rttr biguity is inherent in the language r-rf rhc'l'rrlrlr themselves; at other times I worry mysclf sick ov' the possibility that 1am the variable giving risc ambiguities. Do I take advantagc of tltc plcs,' unsure state of scholarly exPertisel Otl ttccitsirrtt almost seems to me as i{ I am inventing thir s quence, and such a Iantasy sucks me into :ttt :tlry of almost irretrievable depression, fronr wltitlr ott forced and unpleasurable exerciscs in lingttist
analysis rescue me,

..

. to take him into that place and shroud him in wax

embellished with leaves. And as they did they joked and jeered for pnou and laughed for Lak. The long mei.r humped young girls and sang for the Tree Dryer. Too much food and thcy vomited for the Big Move r. What thc boys lrorc lo tltc Krront ! I-Iow thc wontcn rlrrnccrl ;rrorrtrrl tlrc flrtrislrcrl lrrrlll 'l'lrc Iong urcn sl<inrrcrl rr rrrlrlrit Iivc lirt'llrc Mlrrrr Srrr kirrg Slxrrr11r. | , i r r r i ; I I i ; I I li f . i1, grrrlr it, 1rl;ry, ll;rv it ;r11irirr, lcrvr lr rlolc, w(. lu(,
i
1

rr

TABLET
because the

IX
* The Foosh? Old No-Namel The
.

terror they* affiict me with is well-known

and tears go out, and pus goes out, and piss, and they leave, everything's always going out, they . . . . ........pattern (shoesl) for the [Sheol] of Pinitou
. . . out

Flyl The
.

Creepl

.... . ..the fire which is palsy.

..

.....

....penis

because the raaling the goruck me

like sweat, like earwax, likeshit,nothing+++++ l- I I I .....ltoltls + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + foxglove . . . . . . this unexpected place THIS IS his long man hurtling turnaround lightthring paws ship cockshead alone for a toy

l-++++++
and what

++++

+++
-F

lightthring paws ship + + + ++++ + +++

i walk when I walk

++ ++++ ++ + +

whenlwalklwalk
I walk when I walk, theY
they follow they affiict they follow
.

you do when your words give out when the dumb whose blood is paste in a hot mouth

will

THIS
loveliness

+++

+ + + + + + + + + + + +.+ + purple foxglovex

5fi LIli:'HI :T*ffi ,',l;,X""1"'',il: -:::':f sciousnessl rise

into awareness I
because the paste because

in the face of a bog in the face of a creek in the face of sometime s-wet-hard-thing* in the ear of the last shallow breath in the face of salad greens in the guilt of clay ear-plugs in the eyes of swell-shrink* in the face of thin-thin-fat* in the life of the round dance

with iealousy with jealousy

witl.r
je

Iiglittlrring paws ship repulsives in sperm-ofierings dry in a big cockshead box pintrpnit

alousy

because the sinuous fcver snakes through my bone-ends makes me crazy

reminds my body of sacrifice, they follow they affiict they follow and what will I do when my glue words dry and lightthring dust paws ship they is you and anyone, Llust spcrm and a crush of mush brains pity

follow in slow cleath the riven owl Old No-Name and cry soundlessly like cut wheat and can only live shrinking ...... + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + andyesterday the fresh waters teemed with upturned lips of jelly with tentacles and the tiny mouth
and yesterday the fresh waters teemed with the fat upside-down jelly mouth trailing forests* * touching instance of close zoological observations: lines refer probably to the polyp :io<J scxurl rnctluso stages (uptrrrnc(l anrl <lownturnctl vcsscl shepcs) of tlr( cocL.rrllr:rrcs: lry,lr.r. !cllyri.lr, rrl,t.lir . . . rtow llrc othcr worlrl, tlris plrrcr.,'l'l IIS lS

because the dumb

with je alousy with jealousy with jealousy with jeakrusy with jcelousy with jcalousy

* approximations. Cognate fragn,ents suggcsl llr:rl llrt reader may cootinue the list acl lib, with glrrrrp rr
spoflse

continuing.

rvlrcn I walk, I
rr,, cnvy

walk,I must say I walk whcn I walk

I lr;rve that I liave hacl that

o[ Okl No-Nlmc gcts lo tnc I havc thcsc lcgs o[ llughtcr , r, r'ytlring:rlwrrys krr 1,s lt ltvitrg trtt' il is rr, vcr crotrgh, I'vc srtrrcttrlcrcrl t ltc rlatlt p lips of sllccclt ,'rrrplicrl tltcsc cyt'srrlicls, lillc,l rrry tltrs willr grxxl clly, grttrttttl tlttwtt

rry Iitrgcrtips t'nr lclt lili.c;r

,1,,11

lo slttcll rrry wity l(,lllc (ll(il,rl

l'lllSISANllMltl'YIN(;,
Itlllrlllllllll

.,s,,rr clrlivirrg..........lotliivr'
Ittltrllll itt tlt. llt,r',,1 ;t , t, r'li rr',,ls t,ttttt ltlt, rtlllllltllitlllllll
lt

't'l

ltsts... .. r r r

ttltl,,...,lttiitt
lrr llrcy

;rl, I(,;tlitrl.l lt(.;r,r lltr.y lr.irvc, lilx.rnr

TABLET X
.+++++++++++++++ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++++++++++++ ++++++++++++++++ ++++++++++++++++
+++
..
@

TABTET

XI
*
x

whenever I was oPen I was closed

who is speaking herel

where

when you took them with him ? she opened her vagina so late it was no Prophecy whenever I opened Your vaginax
?

it

was

"'

'

" "

oo

oo

* who is the narratorl

she was a prophecy no later drainage could make up

for

* and never mind the vats of fresh (urus-shit l)

...... o o @ @ o o o @ o @ o o + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +. ...... + + + + + + + + + + +
+++++

* clearly an allusion to unusably new fertilizcr; tential scorching of the soil?

l |o

where did you take her when the vats

''''

'

++

[dte the] + + + + + + +

++++++++++++++++++ ++++++++++++++++++ ++++++++++++++++++ + ++ + ++....... ++++++....... ++ + + ++...... ++++++

for the bloody wisent

r++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ (frogs l) * for the

[spermy]
* who is speaking here?

II

lots of people opened that door

I opened my thighs whcre I when you took them with him ? t lrc island flowers the swamp fowers*
splayed on the butchering dust

*might this be an initial allusion

shc took

1o

thc (irxxl

l'arlll

him with thcm for hcr

wlrcrc?
slrc trxrk

....
hcr t t t I I I I I I I I I I
I

with hirn for it I

rlrc r4rcncd

r' r I

t.

anrl ncvcr tttitltlctl

him spl:ryc(l froln lltcttr lo covcr it* { rirrgrtllrr cottltrsiolt ol 1:rotttttttts hcrc. I tkr txtt knos wlro I ittrr wlrcrr I tcrr,l tlris. lLrw rrrrrgtlilir'ctrt'

rrttltl
1,r'cssc,l

,l,,wtr to rltlrlittg grrt'ttr'k

I
...1.1. l.:...

jt tu c

lry t olr1x'r vllri lry prolrltcr'y

as they were shown

where

I.

through the entrance she whinied like the auroch

zag-sal:

at

eleven

string-r I octave-harP

+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + lianregniffowodahsehtni stav gnimaets ekil serutcnup fo wodahs eht ni suru rof efil a efil a e6l a efil a efil a dna o*

in every case they when we ....,.. all together . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O O e) @ o and a life a life a life a life a life a life a life a life a life a life a life a life a life a life a life a life a life a life punctured by valleys) never even, punctured by punctures punctured and puntured and what,s left is fingernail unburied, dangerous above ground, rotting slowly pintrpnit! in the shadow of [fingernail] we (Il) + + + + +; + i +

........

and she reared

** apparently the-start of a barter ritual ' ' ' a wig

for an instrument herel
a horde of our people give a mountain-size platter in exchange for

eOo

@O

in exchange- for a !iu. " .ir.n millet sialk, give a giant rye for !i"., fr.rf,l, lettuce and a drink-ing-tube in exchange " "
+

hunger-servant
'

borne disease.'

'0."'irr'i.

and still is' rc' according to Saggs' the lettuce wa5! %.,r'.. iin'mixion ot a great deal o[ watcr'

+++++++++
give fresh yoghurt in exchange for
a

horde of our people

* apparent sudden appearance for the first time these texts of the boustrophedon! reminiscent of thc Lemnos Stela of course-but how much later ,hat was
this one may be the Tgrrt boustrophedon!

give a great netting of fish in exchange for a hunger-servant thigh-bone rnlffat-t,o"o1 ,nd , calf in exchange for a thin wormy " for a ++++l"t-* another bone spoo; and another in exchange

!iu. , fon.

,t.

rp"oon and

and cry with the force of tesricles aw-aw-nib-gi_gi*

rerbal. 'o answering answerer.' operates in thc hortatory rocarive imperative, an idiosyncratic rensc, apparenrly a mood. but most clearly a real case. Cog. nates in larer Semitic (as for insrance Sqr,rare Arabi{ assure us that the term represents intonaiionally not(. ing less than- a scream of despair, released at higir pitch after the solemn incantation of three low notei. in our notation perhaps C below the bar lines in thc treble clef. Specifics are hard here. Interestingly thc scream.lcads into rhe magic barter list. itself m"aybe c

* the phrase 'in exchange for' shows every possihility rcadily .i -.""ing 'for the-benefit of,' a meaning "rrJ lyre' and oI silversmiths .ub-dialects ii..o-*rubl. in-th.
players.

*this

pattern (shoes ?) give a drainage system for the miserable without

* we know that only government buildings

in thc linc ir So this systems it"It'"gt ur.trl..o.t.", h"d mcct' finally we it In importance' of transcendent *..ouir*"ttu' r],. di,ttt thrust of the first socinlint

cover
t10ns.

tor intermirrenrly [orbidden Uropian

specula.

human history' The singlc voicc cries out in early compassion Who can now cotlly a""i, at"a the fo,m"la 'in exchange for' scrvcd ut u mask for the writer's anti-hierarchial intcntl No cotl *po.u.y of mine can conceive of thc gcniur nud

,oi.l it t..ota"a

+ + + t- + + + l- + + _l- + + t, + l- + + +++1"-l-+"t++ t- -F +. -t t- + .1" t- t" t- -t- t. .t. -t- l- -l- t. -t l. -r. .t- -t- .l ,t. .t .t t" ". ' but if you tlo, givc 17 w;rsrr irrgsloncs (or r cyrintrcr (crll iu excrlflngc givc r bcginning (huir l) iu cxchungc for s w(xxl zrg.stl * *r

++++++ ++++++ ++++++ ++++++ ++++ ++++++ ++++++ ++++++++++++ ++ ++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++ ++++. ++++++ ++++++ ++++++ ++++++

*:il*'l;:,
r r r++++++r--t'+

r;,.Ti:, :i.':::[.':ffi :]].iT,.:''

lianregnif fo wodahs ehtni stirv gnimaets ekil serutcnup fo wotlahs cl.rt ni rurm rof c6l a c6l a c6l a c6l rt cfil a dnl*

r hrrrrtroohcrlrtt lurrin; [rrr nll its hopc nnrl rpiritul vrrlor, wc urc irr tilir twcrtticth (cntury 0i an cttrl lt ir rr rrrctc S,tttto ycrttr rittr'c. nrrrl thc rttory ncnr ovcr'

TABTET

XII

This tablet constirutes an extraordinary find, an even more extraordinary translation. I this text with delight and a humility which me to incorporate a quote into the introduction this, the first musically notated chant in wri human history. Mauy readers will recognize the following citarion stems from that mesmerizi work, published recently by the Press of the U versit6 de Strasbourg, The Music ol the Sumeri, and their Imnediatc Succetsors rhe Babylonians a Astyrians by the Sumeromusicologist F W Litt. D.. F. L. S., Canon Emerirus of Cathedral and Hon. Freeman of the W Company of Musicians. Canon Galpin writes: 'We must now allude to a very remarkable known as KAR r,4 and preserved in the liches Museum, Berlin... . This Sumerian on the Creation of Man is furnished with an syrian translation in the right-hand column and the lett-hand column there are certain groups cuneiform signs which seem to indicate the musi For the interpretation of the notation set to Hymn I am solely responsible: spurred by the w "impossible," I have tried to express this anci music in modern form on reasonable and edged lincs. Un[ortunale]y we shall never with anyone who was present at its first perform. ance and could vouch for its certitude. I must there. fore leaye it to my friends and critics to say whether they do not feel that these old strains of nearly 4,ooo years ago and the oldest music we have arc
indeed well-wedded to the yet more ancient words.'

when earth was laid

and heaven fitted

il

its Place

-so

lt went

when straightJine stream and canal ran when Tigris 6lled the bed
nnd Euphrares 6lled the bed the god An and Enlil the god and Utu the god and the god Enki

high place and alongside them the gods Anunnaki of the earth
sat

in

and now

-so
?

it went

what would you have us do now what more do you ask us for I
said the god

An
and Enlil the god and Utu the god and the god Enki

what

wc've 6xed earth in place

ln<l fitted heaven

l)c stream runs and the canal runs 'l'igris floods and Euphrates rolls , rreh held in a bed ( llll we do more ? it wcnt
I

and now, what

would you have us do now I what more do you ask us for

that was the question

wlrut's lcft, wliat

?

-so

l'ol

rrs

to makc I

at the time of the making of a pair carth rnd heaven

atrl ;rt llrc t irlt:

of

otr

Mollt<.r ltltrr

tlr

Anunralii of tlrc trtrtir r.vllrt rkr yott wltttl, wltltl tttttrt' ( iIr y(,tl r)ow:rsl< tts for? tlrc lwr) Anttttl)rrl(i grrrlr ol tlrc crrrtlr
y,,rr grxls
.rr rr

wlrcrt slrc cirttrr

I w icl,lcrs ol'

lrtll

lrrrrl u

llring lo uly lo lltc Blcxl

lilllil:

earth and heaven meet, they say,

at the high place Uzuma in that high place kill the craftsman-gods, both of them

ADAPTATION FROM CANON GALPIN'S HYPOTHETICAL RECONSTRUCTION

and from their blood make a man and more men

ud
ud an-ki-ta tab-gi-na til-a-ta-ei-a

an-kita

tab- gi- na

til-

a- ta- el- a

Din- gir

a- lllll

Dingir ama Dingir Inanna-ge e-ne ba-si-sig-e-ne

ud ki-ga-ga-e-de ki-du-du-a-ta ud gi!-!a-[rar-an-ki-a m0n-gi-na-ei-a-ba

pa-ri 3u-si-sa ga-ga-e-de id idigna id buranin gu-ne-ne gar-e!-a-ba

e

Din-

gir

I- na- nna-

ge

e- ne

ba-

si- sig- e-ne

ud

ki-ga-ga-c<lc

An Dingir EnJil Dingir Utu Dingir En-ki Dingir ga-gal-e-ne Dingir A-nun-na Dingir ga-gal-e-ne bar-malr ni-te mirn-ki<lur-mu-a ni-te-an-i Iu-mi-nib-gi-gi
ud gii-i.r a-lrar an-ki-a m0n-gi-na-eI-a-ba
e

ki-

du-

du- a-

ta

ud

gi!-

[ra-

llar

an-ki-a

mtrn-gi-nr-cI-;r-lxr

pa iu-sisa ga-ga-e-de

pa-rl

!u-

si-

sa

ga- ga- e-

de

id-ig-na

id idigna id buranin
gu-ne-ne gar-eI-a-ba
a-nAm
l.r

6n-bal-en-z6n

a-nAm hAn-dim-en-z6n

bu-ra-nun

gu-ne-ne

gar- eI- a-

ba

An

Iln- lil

Dingir A-nun-na Dingir ga-gal-e-ne

a-nAm lrdn-bal-en-z6n a-nAm b6n-dim-en-zn

Dingir ga-gal-e-ne mrin-sug-gi-eJ-a Dingir A-nun-na Dingir nam-tar-ri min-na-ne-ne Dingir EnJil-ra mirn-na-nib-gigi
uzu-mu-a-ki dur-an-ki-ge

Din-gir

U-

tu

Din-gir

En- ki

Din- gir

ga- ga-

lc-

Dingir nagar Dingir nagar im-mir.r-tag_en_zdn

mu-mud-e-nc namJu-galu mu-mu-c<lc

l)in-gir
.,f'
rrr0tr

A-urrr-rr l)irr-gir

ga-grtl- c-

rrc

brr-nttlt

lll-tc

.l ')tji'itr'1'"i
li tc rrrr i
irt trri rrilr gr gr
rr,l gri l;;r l;.r

an-ki-a mtn- gi-na- eI-

a-

ba

pa

su-sl-sa

ga-ga

e-

de

id

DESIGN TABLET

This design-tablet might actually belong irr tlrc second great section of these works, The Filliny' or The Hily Giuing of the Seff. But I'm not sttrc, rtttrl feel to place it here. I have almost no indicatiorrs lirt' dating or appropriate placement: I will not rrLrrrrlx'r' it. Its make-up and symbolic overtones, its ll)strrl('
tive quality and its idiosyncratic subjectivity rtll irrr pel me to intercalate it here between 'l'ublcts Xll ard XI . This design-tablet is repository of secret gttirlcs for the unfolding of visionary images. Whethcr tlrc

i- dig- na

id

bu-ra-nun

gu-ne-ne

gar- eI- a-

ba

a-

nam

meanings are functions !6n-bal-en-zn a-nam l..rn-dim-en_en_z6n Din-gir a-nun-na Din-gir ga- gale- ne

of its

functiotrirrg,

rrt'

whether they are its essentiality I don't know; I rl" know that my long experience with it warlants tltirt concentrated meditation in it bears metaphysicitl lc wards of a high order.

a-nam }.rdn-bal-en-z6n

a-nam lren-dim-en-zn

Din-gir

ga_

gal- e-

ne

mffn-sug-gi-e3-a Din-gir A-nun-na

Din-gir nam-tar_ri

min_ na_ ne_ ne

Din-gir EnJil mtn- na- nib- gi- gi

u zu- mu- a- ki

dur- an- ki-

ge

Din-gir

na-gar

im- m6g- rag-

en-

zen

mu- murl-

r:-

nlm- lu-

gai-

lIlU-

InU-

crl-

TABTET
gift
knowledge

XIII

6,
._

a"aer%

this lettuce this chair this yellow table these pots this tablet-clay this lettuce ass on her rein'ring this stone iar ihese blue flowers this silver lioness this electrum object hating mc here's my eye and here's the great emptiness surrounding the
this tablet-clay hating me separated from its name this stone jar hating me separated from its name outlining fower hating me a piece of the air to sliver me through this piece of blue

C9.
o
o. o= .ri -o ol

E
tJ
ctq

sr-rror.rding myrelf in anger with me in anger with me copper adzes the lettuce hating me the white-green light around the scribe the market-pile me with ice* hatin! me in a white-green light separate<l from its name to sliver

* psychotic rant; what surprises however involvcn tlt deer.. o{ ,oo-analoqic type of reasoning, atypical pc

oi
o

and cultr.rraliv, of the thought-modes of rrcltni Iirerat,-:res, Sumerian. Hebrew. Ugarit etc l\n th author of XIII was very likely a "cured" schizophrcni looking back, intensely directed to assess hcr po$t'

.nirllv

rffi

n6.rrr

./o9 .raqro

/8
"s"

choke you will puke out your heart o and your life your life your life in the pit of your thinking stomach and your feet caught in the swampy muck by the knom and your son when

was four the liver said you

will

ar$f

{s'"x

separated from his name hating You le t it come down said the star Nergal

rEyS-qsIb

* sun-god of midsummer, bringer of pcstilcncc nr

death.

irrr{l oq^l

\u{

+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + -l' + l-l -l ll in the nightmare of the liverlobes I use<l to read the face of Lak Irom the back of a bttrr.rishctl brass mirror saying walk<lcath gtll-blatltlcr antl daylong whitc'grccn trrltlc in thc bloorly frcsh sltcclt glrll-tlucts sttrrotttltliug ntc and my llrlls wcrc cut wlro rfur you know wlro llrrccs i wlto rlo yttrt kttgw wltg tltrcct I lntl lct it cltnc tlov Ilrc youttg lcttttcc is scl)tlfillc{l frotn ils llillllc illl(l grows rlwrtrf
thc bliutl light nrtrrotrtrtln lltc ltcrtttt llyirrg irl a forrrr t() 0ugur thc cn(l of lny nflmc otliAr urSSltcyou otli[r ,harmarclcr ouicr yorgh*

these transliterated sounds either did or did not mean something. The phonemic structure confuses. The regressed ego cries.

neck 6rst let it come down but begin

begin to begin jar name table name lettuce obiect tablet-clay name
name flame
eye mouth eye

underneath bronze not bronze

chameleon changes to green

+++++++++++
I don't know
the penis is

no-life chameleon no change saying walk-death

nostril lip cave ass tablet-clay mouth name take light wash away light together eye nose face name name +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

(43 lincs)

tablet tablet how do you go

ofiering

I walk under water sharmareser yorgh

last year I had a woman

*this entire section a distillation of great contPlrxitl in this sequence of aphasic agran-rmatism-inrthilit y t construct proPer word sequences-(dcscril'c<l ttll ('i :rlth' clearlv bv Coldstein, the great modern sl(r'lcrrt 'l rlrl' this writer oi schizophrenic sia) the"cured tries with anguished efiorts to reconstitutc thc woll of'reality'and her place in it. These crrrious litlcs trrr embodv the aphasic efrort to 6nd worJs for rrr:rtry I

open to the rain and flood or else a man with breasts

miliar thing. iy making lists. The introdrritrtly rrrr tion of theiquick' food further suggests solrc lxrssilr religious context involving healing and thc ittwar trip.

shining in

a brass

light in a room

+++++++++++
who do you know who threes and grows dwarf I
come down or corne down if you gave me sour milk sharmareser yorgh

I walk under water

begin begin begin begin begin begin begin begin begin begin begin begin the voyage with quick-food *
* ambiguity: quick to digestl to nourishl or perhaps the sacred mushroorrl, amanita muscaria, which likc all mycelial productions seems to sprour suddenly, likc
magic, from the subsoil.

begin to begin
give the eye to the socket srrrnrunrl tlrc nostrils with thc nosc ctrcirclc tlrc c:rvc of t Irc rrrotrtlr wirlr lips
;rrrrl llrr':rsslrolc

llrc

Ilx

witlr lut clrcclis lir cxts lro.Irvrr uftcr;rll ir rlorrc

TABTET

XIV

begins in rage or music rooting about for pleasure

says

it must be possible my pain, as a night lightens in dream rivers' hunger the hunger' say is'

++++++++++++++++++ ++++++++++++ +++

where does the hunger grow I never never ever

from nothing from norhing, the stone beginning, tell me my name, when I write letters and do accounts I am that other man and keep {rom trembling, o at the heart's root is not cauldron but come in come in come in come in says my pain run from the sun, wander around in me and profit, the stars tell North but little else. From nothing from nothing 6nd me my name, say in some clear way if the end is sadness, how the days of ishing are numbered, say whether my name begins in rage or music rooting abolrt for its pleasure o draw me from my Alabaster Self my millstone quartz marl me take me from my smooth whiteness my absence o Oualbpaga Dammara Damalo Karhenmou Amagaaa Arigaaa Adambpaga as a night lightens in dream rivers.

in the lines of force stowed motionless in my thighs and afloat in the mineral roe of ground o let my secret name Dammara Damalo Karhenmou implode and boil in my balls frozen in my body's boat
Oualbpaga I see the green-winged teal fy by come in to nothing says my pain, as a mindless shoat that roots about like play. slipping out. slipped. slobber. coast. waste. worn. envelope goat tripe. explode. opal. nie. wye. dipple sty. Alabaster pie. armor my. spider clam close stone. try to die. come in come in come in come in. Oualbpaga

see

the green-winged teal fly by

siren me a road father. try to die, envelope goat tripe. explode, coast pie, go below. is it abovel bebove, love. slipping out, worn zone. open clopen. daimon daddy

me me a road, me me a road myself my name Dammara Damalo Karhenmou, say

will

in some clear way, I say, says, it says, saying, wc sayirrg, say, say, said, havc harl, would mighr will will will, l:ut firrrl will, 6rrrl blunrlcr on, shoat roots lbotrt if thc cutl ir slrhrcss, h,w tlrc rhys .f lislrirrg arc rrunrl*rctl, rty rnying I BAi(l

TABLET

XV

Probably rhe 'ong o[ a temple prnstirurc. priesresr of rhe second cesre.

that constantly just cscapc me because I will not let them win ovcr yor'r, your hancls which grazc n.ry fielcl, sentence and inflection of how i tlo me , you clo me and how do I how wondcrfu]

much, heavily fying, much, heavily flying, much, the vagina musk bleeding they bring in the wild ass slow spectrum enormity penis enormity ravage till much, spectrum, soil-tiller, heaviIy f yirg rnJ till tiJl vagina musk they bring in the wild ass
never of when whcncver comin of much, heavily fl ,,"*,

+++++t_++++ I t1+ +++++ 1.+-l I+t I++++++ I++++++++++ .1-+++++-t++-f t I -t++++++++++++++++++++

they bnng in lapis and obsidian antl brorze gird about gird about bronze testicles he climbs suspcnsion ny back raw inside lips snspension my reerh together nettles nettles sacrcrl bath oI spcrm and blood b.orrr.

.,..-,,i;1T;:i""tH:r:il ;::,;,::-,T::::T",,
wild
gocl

air benveen us high pricstcss and dare to put your own hanrls on your own lips my hands on yours, how is it I never knew this took so much risking, that I do you, that you turn for me that you slowly turn for me, that I do your body in oil, in glyccrirr, that I do you, tliat I do you slowly almost not at all
by way of pictures

I can't sec thrust

across the

++++++ ++++++

++

+-

+++

+++++

in my rl"ep l- + + -t_ + + + + + + + + + + + + +

in this small clearing where I rest from us, space inside thc fick I, emptied of muscle ancl cries, emptied of muscle and cries my closed eyes empty cups of rest in which your picture sometimes appalls and that you know to leave mc ltcrr' where my money my clothes my blood my liver are violently plucked awrty l r"tr my 6eld sometimes in such pain from thousands of tiny openings
and I wake up unpeopled and startled at such happiness

II

for you, that I turn for yorr, that I slowly turn for you, high priestess that you do my body in oil, in glycerin, that you do me]that you slowly do me that you clo me slowly almost not at all, that you are my mout; that I am your vulva, feathcr, feather, and cliscover for vou* let me open my thighs for your hancls as I do for my own that I do you that my hair thinks of you ancl remembers you, that my Engers that the sweat on my drighs/bro nze bronzet flyi.,gjthink, of yo., and reminds me of me and that you let me be "arily harsh o. for you, that I turn for you, that I slowly turn for you, high priestess that you do my body in oil, in glycerin, that you do -., ,"hr, yo, slowly rlo mc that you do me slowly almost not at all, that you are_ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + -F + + + + + + + + + + +I + 1 l + l ........thatmybodybecomea_scntencethatnevcrstops,rlrivingtlrroLrghairsp:u.cs {rom one tablet to another, its python lxrwcr .. trlclclrr, it rrrrrsl bc llrc lips o[ lrv orvl lingt.r.,, orr trry crtrrl liPs ;tnrl yorrr Ir:rrr,ls rvlriclr llrirz( lry rri1,1,l,,s. l,,,,liirr11 lor.u,lr:rt tlrr.y rr<.r.rl, rvlrirlr, rr,lr';r. tlrt lir.lrl ,,1 rrry rl.sr,l (.y(.s,r\ ( l,u,r.,lr.\.r.s rrry , r , . t I , . , , r ,r,l,,r ,rl tttI r'rtt, trr1, r lrtrrr rr, ;rrrl t,r)lr !t,jrll.l rrr11 lr,rr,l,, 1,,,rr rrrli tlrr,rrrlllr rrry.,, ll rrrr,rlils
rr
,

This book was set otr the linotype irr Granjon. The display face is Sistina.

It

was designcd by ]actlrrclittc Schunran,

conrposed by

H. Woll1

lJool< Nl.rnufucturing Co.,

and printed by Noblc OlTsct Printers, Inc.