Enheduanna, First Poet

[GeneT]

Poet of Innana

The oldest surviving poetry also marks the first poet whom is known by name, Enheduanna. Few, although, know of the significance behind the stanzas and meter or, more importantly, what those mean to a select few, members of a secret society called the Path of the Left Hand. The poems of Enheduanna are first and foremost religious and spiritual. Their sole purpose is the celebration of spiritual and religious devotion. Enheduanna’s father, perhaps because of her brilliance and creative genius, appointed her the high priestess at the temple of the moon god, Inana. Enheduanna’s hymns, are hymns in praise of different step-wells, as though each well was a temple and a living being.

The following is a brief excerpt of her living. What is contained between the lines and in the spaces separating words lay within the reader's eyes and manner in which he or she chooses to repeat them. Enheduanna is remembered for the forty-two poems she wrote reflecting personal frustrations and hopes, religious devotion, her response to war, and feelings about the world. Her three greatest, in extent and meaning, are Inninsagurra, Ninmesarra, and Inninmehusa, which translate as 'The Great-Hearted Mistress’, The Exaltation of Inanna’, and 'Goddess of the Fearsome Powers’.

Inninsagurra (274 Lines) ~ A hymn of praise to Inana.
Ninmesarra (154 Lines) ~ A hymn describing Enheduanna’s tribulations and exile.
Inninmehusa (184 Lines) ~ A narrative hymn recounting Anana’s destruction of the overly prideful mountain Ebih.

"Funeral offerings were brought, as if I had never lived there.
I approached the light, but the light scorched me.
I approached the shade, but I was covered with a storm.
My honeyed mouth became scummed. Tell An about Lugal-Ane and my fate!
May An undo it for me!
As soon as you tell An about it, An will release me."

Excerpt from Inninsagura ("Stout-hearted Lady")

To destroy, to build up, to tear out and to settle are yours, Inanna,
To turn a man into a woman and a woman into a man are yours, Inanna,
Desirability, libido, to have goods and property are yours, Inanna,...
Business, great winning, financial loss, deficit are yours, Inanna,
Information, instruction, inspection, to look closely, to approve are yours, Inanna,...
To build a house, to build a woman's chamber, to have implements,
to kiss the lips of a small child are yours, Inanna,
Swiftness, foot race, to attain desire are yours, Inanna,
To interchange the brute and strong
and the weak and powerless is yours, Inanna,...
To give the crown, the chair and the scepter of kingship is yours, Inanna.

Excerpt from Ninmesarra:

That you annhilate rebelling territiories , shall be known!
That you roar against the enemy lands, shall be known!
That you crush the leaders, shall be known!
That you devour corpses like a predator, shall be known!
That your glance is terrible, shall be known!
That you raise your terrible glance, shall be known!
That your glance is sparkling, shall be known!
That you are unshakable and unyielding, shall be known!
That you always stand triumphant, shall be known!

Step-well Hymn 7

The Kesh Step-well: The Lofty

High-lying Kesh
in all heaven and earth you are the form-shaping place
spreading fear like a great poisonous snake

O Lady of the Mountains Ninhursag’s house
built on a terrifying site

O Kesh like holy Aratta
inside is a womb dark and deep
your outside towers over all

Imposing one
great lion of the wildlands stalking the high plains
great mountain
incantations fixed you in place

inside the light is dim
even moonlight (Nanna’s light) does not enter
only Nintur Lady Birth
makes it beautiful

O house of Kesh
the brick of birthgiving
your temple tower adorned with a blue streaked crown

your princess
Princess of Silence
unfailing great Lady of Heaven
when she speaks heaven shakes
open-mouthed she roars

Aruru sister of Enlil
O house of Kesh
has built this house on your radiant site
and placed her seat upon your dais

Step-well Hymn 15

The Gishbanda Step-well

ancient place

set deep in the mountain
artfully

dark shrine frightening and red place

safely placed in a field
no one can fathom your mighty hair-raising path

Gishbanda

the neck-stock the fine-eyed net
the foot-shackling netherworld knot
your restored high wall is massive
like a trap

your inside the place where the sun rises

yields widespread abundance

your prince the pure-handed

shita priest of Inanna heaven’s holy one

Lord Ningishzida

his thick and beautiful hair
falls down his back

O Gishbanda
has built this house on your radiant site
and placed his seat upon your dais

Step-well Hymn 17

The Badtibira Step-well

O house

jeweled lapis herbs fleck the shining bed

heart-soothing place of the Lady of the Steppe

Emush brickwork glistening and pure

its burnished clay placed firmly (upon the land)

your sky-rising wall sprawls over the high plain

for the one who tends the ewes
and over the Arali House for the shepherd

your prince radiant one of the Holy Woman

a lion pacing the steppe back and forth
the wonder-causing pure breasted one
the Lord spouse of pure Inanna

Dumuzi master of the Emush

O Badtibira (fortress of the coppersmith)
has built this house on your radiant site
and placed his seat upon your dais

Step-well Hymn 20

The Lagash Step-well

Eninnu
right arm of thick-necked Lagash in Sumer
with heavy-cloud bird Anzu’s eyes
that scan insurgent mountains

Ningirsu’s crowd-flattener blade a menace to all lands
battle arm blasting storm drenching everyone
battle arm all the great gods the Annuna
grant again and again

so from your skin of bricks
on the rim of the holy hill green as mountains
you determine fates

a holy whirlpool spins in your river
blowing whirlwinds spawn from your glance

at the gate facing the Holy City
they pour wine into fine stone vessels of An
out under the sky

what comes in cannot be equaled
what goes out never ceases

at the fiery face of the Shugalam gate
its radiant brilliance the fate-cutting site

Lord Ningirsu besieges with hair-raising fear
all the Annuna appear at your great wine festival

your prince furious storm-wind
destroyer of rebel cities

your king angry bull flaunting his brawn
savage lion that makes heads shake

warrior the lord of lords who plots schemes
king of kings who mounts victories
mighty one great hero in battle has no rival

son of Enlil lord Ningirsu
O Eninnu
has built this house on your radiant site
and established his seat upon your throne