...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"