KA GI-SIG: INCANTATION TABLET

Your princess, the silencing princess…when she talks heaven trembles,
when she opens her mouth there is devastation.
~ The Temple Hymns, Enheduanna, 2150 BCE

ka gi-sig ka gi-sig
ni-gis-su gis-nu
gi-ku-ga gis-nu

ka ka-shur-ra ki
ka ka-shur-ra kur ku-an

ka-shur-ra ki ku-nuk-kum
ka-shur-ra ku-nuk

kir-um ki-ma ge-me
ka-shur-ra gesh-tin-na ki-ma qa-tu
ki-mah ki-ma kap-pu

ka gi-sig qa-bu kish-pu
ka-lu ki-ru-gu

ka-lu ga-az ga-az
ka-lu ku
gis-nu ku gir-ru

KA GI-SIG: INCANTATION TABLET [translation]

Mouth door Mouth door
radiant crevice bed of shining reeds

Immaculate orifice of earth
wide channel where the netherworld mountain
pours
into the crease of heaven

pure which opens life’s sealed tablet
pure which releases the seams

(between)

orchard in the door of the slave girl
grapevine in the mouth of the hand
tomb in the reed bed of wings

Mouth door utter your sorcery

every thing
bends everything
bursts
the skin of its name
All of it

consumed consuming the source of light
swallowing
fire