Poem Without A Title by Klaus J. Gerken PART III Canto XIIII poet wrapped in a blanket shivering work desk scattered with random papers books and bills cats on the chairs and sofa tv on some inconsequential standard useless entertainment sometimes even funny more times just crassly muddled he doesn't even notice too absorbed in work and the glass of wine always the glass of wine scattered DVD's and video's on the floor mostly science fiction 4 litre empty wine boxes antacids tylenol one lamp illuminating shadow places A/C and fan on cold but better than crippling humidity feet swollen sitting too much hunched over transfixed by computer screen words words words and more words that sometimes make no sense at all and at other times even less thus a poet's reclusive life continues day by day unnoticed passing by life that others lead only four walls here little else FB friends anonymous opponents for computer games backgammon chess win some lose some old paintings from the 70's in the corner not even hanging on the wall unpublished manuscripts in binders boxes and drawers forgotten journals spanning decades piled up in a closet no one reads or even wants to read wasted life not worth a damn to anyone but the poet continues on because that's all there is nothing else to do but keep going like he's always done from childhood to the golden age of arthritis alcoholism and empty spaces between the solid hologram of vast illusions frozen dreams and grand collusion with whatever demon fits your scale of desperate religion the poet will have none of it he goes on living as he drinks himself to death doctor says beyond fixing worse would be i guess beyond saving it's late at night almost midnight the wine calms nerves otherwise inflamed with trepidation no one should live this way but the poet does has done all his life everything else is quite peripheral to what he does gathers absorbs and sneezes out what some call art some a fart others just shrug the poet shrugs i do what i do why be different now there was only one objective to explore creation why we live how we love then decay and die along the way some compassion a lot of screw-ups and there you have it and lots of 3 AM anxiety attacks that goes with the territory of tearing one's psyche apart "have heart have heart" the captain yells to panick stricken passengers "have heart" he screams in desperation as the ship is slowly sinking kjg 3 - 4 september 2014 Canto XV the quest is endless even after death the atoms and particles redistribute to gather new direction where they end up no one will know some might even escape the gravity of the planet and wander through hostile space seeding other planets everything is alive constantly eternally no god no goddess no superior being subatomic particles rule the space time continuum life is a matter of conception and the universe is a womb the galaxies the sperm impregnating a black hole to birth another universe we just happen to be the transmitters of learning to a higher network growing constantly beyond an evolution we can never fathom since we are already part of it we are inside what created us part of what created us so therefore somehow we even created ourselves we create gods to inspire us or give us courage or an excuse for a cause however sinister it might be gods are a convenient way to absolve us of our transgressions thou shalt not kill but war's ok doesn't quite sound rational but religion's never rational damn this lotus eaters swine herd enslavement one doesn't come out of it the same down on ones knees does one pray for deliverance or submit either way one faces life head on even though it slams you to the floor time and time again beaten you get up defeated you are just a hollow corpse straw men wet behind the ears with no knowledge why the coming years are less bountiful than others a messenger will always come to deliver the voice of "reason" not always specified is the harlot's game male female doesn't matter not gender specific check wall street in the mirror or "leaders" on the stage a trippy head for sure Sieg sieg sieg lord lord lord whoreship whatever saviour is on the plate salome doesn't much care either way the kiss will be a given betrayal of the heart et tu brute 30 pieces of silver doesn't cut much cake when you're the servant who carries out through loyalty what you have been told to do scapegoat i think they him whistle blower even politics is one illusion religion just another and everybody has to serve somebody does not abnegate responsibility it enhances it hook line and sinker or a net of many fishes what cloak can compare to that the exiled minorities the artistic superiorities the drugged out addict in an alley the lost wings of a soul as the leper in a cave far into a dissolution rather dream than hate society does not deal well with the outcast and lets religion handle them society's lowest common denominator does not recognize bottom yet worships top no matter how shallow sometimes i wonder where reasoning begins the voice of disaster looms hollow trumpet echoing off mountains through the open fertile valley hoards of demons descend like black flying angels with spears of flame killing everyone indiscriminately no one survives the onslaught we have become too complacent for years we have fed the beast and the beast is now upon us what has mankind wrought believing in archaic gods but an archaic life that is no better than a cockroach savaging no art no science no philosophy but that of hate you cannot challenge them you cannot win against a monster so grotesque your alter-ego has created we are punishing ourselves nothing more nothing less the duality we live a duality we cannot rid ourselves of we struggle with it day and night and we create it in our terrible reality self indulgence is the monster grab all and then control distribute money not for survival but money for indulgence to put the trivial over the good of humanity we hoard while others starve we rape and plunder we rejoice at the devastation then at the rebuilding which always profits the victor consign them to the plastic hell they created war without consequence peripheral to the upkeep of a swimming pool at home two car garage and PTSD's...seems to only be a western soldier's disease...never hear it from the defeated lump it and rebuild of course the victor goes to heaven in god we trust and all of that kjg 4 - 5 September 2014 Canto XVI dark threatening skies and thunder ishtar descended to the land of no return to confront them an find her brother she confronted the gatekeeper said open the gates i want to enter the dark house of the dead otherwise i will smash it down gatekeeper begged her to stop said he would consult the queen ereshkigal said open the gate ishtar entered the dark realm saw the rites the queen of earth performed asked the gatekeeper why such rites confronted her and she was stripped of all her clothes and possessions such are the rites he answered such are the rites forever ishtar came to ereshkigal ereshkigal trembled told her vizier Namtar to send ishtar to confront the sixty disease that plague the earth so ishtar went down to earth but did not return when ershkigal found out she was angry and sent out curses told namtar to knock on the door of egalgina and told him to restore ishtar's clothes and possessions ishtar went through the seven doors as she had come and all was restored to her but belili tore off her golden necklace for a ransom ishtar said you shall not rob me of my brother the dead shall rise and smell like burnt offerings upon the alter one does not have to wander far from the beaten path to come upon rapt survival we long for what we lose the darkness of the wood or raging storm presents us with a force unknown unchallenged and alone we dare not wander far without a lifeline we are in our own possession but we crave the guidance of others so much that we will leave all sense behind and engage in acts illogical to have freedom one must be enslaved to have slavery one must be the boss god does not discriminate worship is the horse's mouth of retribution they take you when you least expect it they drown you when you cannot swim take care before this danger thing If the total sum of humankind has not been war then what has it been peace is not a condition i have seen even for those who live peacefully if there is a peace it's to protect the workforce expand the workforce keep the masses occupied a never ending duel of protecting resources not to starve not to share except for cost we will never be a charitable species we have private institutions for that government wages war prepares for war defence and ultimate control through whatever mean can be available to them don't be fooled being "comfortably numb" is the greatest drug of all it ravages to population with the fear of loss and is easily manipulated fear is the catalyst that runs a society co-operation is what diminishes fear in tribe one band together for protection in numbers and offspring have a better chance of survival the primal urges still maintain us and that is why all our holy books are ancient because they appeal to the primary instinct in our nature ishtar had to strip bare of all possession everything she held dear and valuable to enter the dark real of the dead where no one possessed anything any longer when she left her possessions were returned to her one by one in reverse order sometimes to advance one must leave everything behind and cannot look back odysseus had the fortune to return because the gods wanted it not because he ever thought he would return returning for him was an anti-climax there would be no achievement after so long away there was no plunder left from the great halls of troy only himself and his pride reasserted when he killed the men waiting to take his wife longing for his death only telemachus had a goal of finding him and only because of the inheritance such be the lessons of history does the dragon draw breath to spit fire out of fear or retribution either way he destroys the gods have omniscient powers so what do they fear does god fear his creation after all the gods have always destroyed what the cannot use for sport the great arena given free choice what an entertainment i would venture that the true worship happens not in churches temples and mosques the true worship occurs in the stadium where we celebrate the strength of individuals gathering the whole populations in a rite of worship winner takes all "Now of deeds done whether they be right or wrong not even Time the father of all can make undone the accomplishment, yet with happy fortune forgetfulness may come. For by high delights an alien pain is quelled and dieth, when the decree of God sendeth happiness to grow aloft and widely." (Pindar -- ERNEST MYERS, M.A) but then o herald this and herald that transfigures into hard cash cheating was allowed or even lauded in those ancient times inventiveness was rewarded melancomas of asia minor ad 49 won by staying away from his opponent for days until his opponent's exhaustion took him down was then lauded victor not a punch thrown in the ancient games armstrong would have been revered as a great champion today we bring them down one by one the weaker stalks the stronger a society of litigation keep your nose clean we'll get at you eventually it seems as if living today society never got by with what we have never lived with different values never ran around without electronic gadgets never saw things differently than we did i'm of the last generation where we didn't have tv my parents in germany didn't even have a phone it was a completely different world today's kids will never understand never know i am an alien in a society i no longer quite understand we used to do things ourselves make our own choices now the insurance companies strangle us let someone else decide what's good for you "WE WANT THE WORLD AND WE WANT IT....NOW!" (Jim Morrison) it's become a gimme world people post slogans or quotes (mostly false) on facebook and have nothing to contribute themselves it's as if original thought has lost its meaning or more succinct value "if it don't make money it ain't worth the time to read" how many writers poets authors weren't worth a dime until after they were dead and buried and copyright no longer hindered wholesale publication crass but true publishers critics and many professors are the paparazzi of the intellectual world they live off the avails of other disguised as either opinion or teaching one feeds off the other i suppose it doesn't always benefit the artist granted everyone has to make a living but as reporters make no news critics make no art in fact a lot of the time they hinder art rather than facilitate it but what is art anyway except a personal opinion a vision a way of seeing others have not realized but enough of this this is not poetry if i cannot render truth must i render lies i render neither i search i search i search kjg 5 - 7 september 2014 Canto XVII the twilight wails kjg 7 september 2014 Canto XVIII the wall that cannot parish the frenzied dervish dancer the monster ecstasy of shadows flickering against a hollow blackness the cave is a transmutation gateway to a new dimension "man what's happening" "i cannot find my knees" the cool darkness navigates a perpendicular horizon "i dig it man don't sneeze" the failure of modern society is not so much its revolution but its failure to attend an evolution the past is a restriction rather than a vault of a foundation what does not allow building does not allow a future the vault of quicksand on a fog stale moor howling dogs and shadow ghost in the ravaged atmosphere the inner mind is everywhere "SCENE I. A desert place. Thunder and lightning. Enter three Witches First Witch When shall we three meet again In thunder, lightning, or in rain? Second Witch When the hurlyburly's done, When the battle's lost and won. Third Witch That will be ere the set of sun. First Witch Where the place? Second Witch Upon the heath." "BERNARDO Who's there? FRANCISCO Nay, answer me: stand, and unfold yourself." "KING LEAR Meantime we shall express our darker purpose." passion does not transgress passion the dagger or the kiss will always be the second coming "Fool Truth's a dog must to kennel; he must be whipped out, when Lady the brach may stand by the fire and stink. KING LEAR A pestilent gall to me! Fool Sirrah, I'll teach thee a speech. KING LEAR Do. Fool Mark it, nuncle: Have more than thou showest, Speak less than thou knowest, Lend less than thou owest, Ride more than thou goest, Learn more than thou trowest, Set less than thou throwest; Leave thy drink and thy whore, And keep in-a-door, And thou shalt have more Than two tens to a score." and the hangman's noose must always have its pound of flesh danglish from the holy rood where blood flows in the cradle the sang real the follow-through the reverential rite of passage obeissience can never be mistrust one does not give of self to doubt he who doubts must forever be the enemy holding a candle in the wind where three trees are planted yet at any time only two are visible he who sees all three must surely die the truth can never be revealed the temple will forever be a secret place a darkness visible to only those who gather a commitment to the ultimate bondage to their holy mystery "mother of god save us from our misery in Iesou christ amen" and there of is a thing revealed a covenant isis sits upon the throne of pharaoh's boundless energy misbegotten humanity what does not violate the curse must be the curse what is so written can never be proven what is so proven can never be written as woman drew courageous truth from the sanctity of yahweh so punishment became a quality of appeasement the shadow will always be with us the guilt will always be a crucible around our necks guilt is always the avenger of a fear that's non-existent the id all powerful the bully god strike first and they will not gain access to your soul guilt perpetuates the bloody goal of human sacrifice kjg 7 september 2014 Canto XVIIII osiris is credited with banning among the egyptians the practice of cannibalism the eating of human sacrificial flesh that's why i distain christianity so much it is the ritual worship of human sacrifice and cannibalism how anyone cannot see this is beyond me light is not flesh osiris superseded the consummation of flesh with ritual this was adopted by the christians just as the christians adopted pagan rituals to gain converts religions is nothing more than ritualized cannibalism lake nemi the king is dead long live the king all cultured do it just some are bloodier than others * c. ad 54 The beginning of what would become christianity: Letter of Paul to the Thessalonians 1 Paul, Silvanus and Timothy to the assembly in Thessalonica through God the Father and Lord King Iesou; we always thank God when we mention you in our prayers, we are incessantly mindful of your work, loving labour and your enduring hope in King Iesou King before our God and Father, knowing, beloved brothers of God, that you chose our good news not through the word alone but through the power of the holy spirit through much assurance, knowing what we became through knowing you; as you became our followers and through the Lord, accepted the word with much doubt rejoicing in the holy spirit, becoming thus an example to anyone who follows us in Macedonia and Arabia. You have not only spread the word through Macedonia and Arabia, but your faith in God has spread far and wide, so there is no need for us to say anything; they report how when we came to you you turned to God and abandoned the idols submitting yourselves to the bondage of God, reclaiming his son from the heavens, when he rose from the dead, Iesou who will save us from the wrath which is to come. 2 You know, brothers, that our visit to you has not been empty, but having suffered and been insulted, as you know, in Philippe, we were vocal through our God bringing you the good new through much struggling. Our enthusiasm is not from error nor uncleanliness nor deceit, but according to the proof of God who has entrusted us with the good news, so we speak, not to please men but God who fills our hearts with pride. Nor did we become flattering while spreading the word, asking as you know, nor with the pretence of covetousness, God is witness, nor did we seek men of glory, neither for you or others, being able to take up the heavy burden as apostles of the King; but we become babes in your midst, as when a nurse cherishes her own children; thus having affection for you, we thought well to share with you, not only the good news of God, but also our own souls, through which you were loved by us. Bare in mind, brothers, our labour and our toil; working night and day, so as not to put weight on you, we preached to you the good news of God. You are witnesses and so is God, how loyally and righteously and unblamably we become to you who believe, what each one of you have known as the father of his own children encouraging and consoling and bearing witness, you will be walking worthily with the God who is calling you to his kingdom. Because of this we thank God incessantly, because you received God's word which you heard from us accepting not the word of man but according to the true word of God, which is also working in you who believe. For you become imitators, brothers, of the assemblies of God that are in Judah through King Iesou, because you also suffered the same persecution in our own tribes as they did by the Jews, those who killed the Lord Iesou and the prophets and who also persecuted us, by not pleasing God, and being against all men, hindering us in speaking to the nations in order to be saved, so they always increase their sins. But wrath has come upon them finally. We, brothers, having to depart from you at the appointed hour, speeded up our business so we could see your faces very soon again. We wanted to come to you several times but I, Paul, was hindered by Satan. For what is our hope and joy or the crown of boasting - except you - in the presence of out Lord Iesou? For you are our glory and our joy. 3 When we could no longer bear it we decided it was best to be alone in Athens, and we sent Timothy, our brother, God's servant, with the good news of the King, to make you firm and comfort you in your faith that no one may be engulfed in these tribulations. You yourself have known that we have gone through this; for when we were with you, and said to you that we were about to suffer tribulation, it happened as was stated and you know it. So when I would not rise I asked what your faith was, that somehow the tempted did not tempt you and our labour was all in vain. But now Timothy has come to us from you and has brought the good news about the faith and love, and that you have good memories of us wanting to see us again as we wish to see you, this comforts us, brothers, in all our need and tribulations through your faith, for now we live if you stand firm with the Lord. For what thanks can we give to God on behalf of you for all the joy you gave us before our God, night and day making superabundant supplications to see your faces and to adjust what is lacking in your faith. But may our only God and father and Lord Iesou straighten the way to you; but the Lord may cause you to multiply and make you abound in love to each other and to all, as we do to you, to fix firmly your unblamable hearts in holiness before God and also in the presence of our Lord Iesou with all his holiness. 4 Finally, brothers, we request and encourage you in Lord Iesou, so that you receive from us how it binds you to walk with us and please God, as you also travel, in order that you might prosper. For you know what instructions we gave you through Lord Iesou. For this is the will of God, your sanctification, restraining from fornication, that each of you knows the vessel of sanctification and honour, not in the passion of desire like those nations that have not known God, that no one oversteps his bounds and takes more of what belongs to his brother, by which the Lord is the avenger of all things, according as we have told you previously and witnessed. For God did not call us through uncleanliness but in sanctification. Therefore the one who disregards this is not putting aside man, but God who gives his holy spirit to you. But we don't need to write to you about affection, you yourselves are the ones taught by God to love each other; and you are doing it to all the brothers in Macedonia. But we encourage you, brothers, to persevere, and to honour silence and your own, and work with your hands, as it is charged to you, that you may travel decently to those outside and have need for nothing. But we don't want you to be ignorant, brothers, about those who are sleeping, that you may not be sad like the rest who also do not have any hope. For if we believe that Iesou died and rose, so, too God will lead those to him who have slept through Jesus. For this is what we are saying though the Lord's word, that we who are left in the presence of the Lord shall not be ahead of those who have slept; because the Lord's will commands, with the voice of an Archangel and with God's trumpet, will descend from heaven, and the dead in the King will rise first, so we the living who are left will with them be snatched at the same time in clouds to meet the Lord in air: and thus we shall be always with the Lord. Comfort one another in these words. 5 But about today and the coming times, brothers, you do not need to have anything written, for you have known that the day of the Lord is coming like a thief in the night. Whatever they might say, Peace and Security, then suddenly destruction is standing upon them like the birth pangs a woman has in her belly, and they will not escape. But you, brothers, you are not in darkness, that you should receive that day in darkness, for you are all the sons of light [Ed. lucifer] and the sons of day. But we are not of light nor of darkness. Therefore let us not sleep like the rest, but let us stay awake and be sobre. For those sleeping sleep at night, and those drunk drink at night; but we of the day being sobre, wear a breastplate of faith and the helmet of the hope of salvation; not because God leads us into wrath but into gaining salvation through our Lord King Iesou, who died for us so that whether we may be awake or sleeping we will live together with him. Through this we comfort one another and build ourselves up one by one, according to what you are doing. But we request from you, brothers, to know who is working with you and standing with you in the Lord and is helping you, and consoling them with superabundant love because of their labours. Be at peace among your own. But we encourage you, brothers, to mind the disorderly, console the depressed souls, hold up the weak, have patience with all. See that not anyone who sees bad gives bad , but always preserves the good, to each other and to all. Always rejoice, pray fervently, give thanks for everything; for this is the will of God in King Iesou. Do not extinguish the spirit, do not treat prophesies as nothing; but prove [Ed. examine] everything, hold on to the fine things, recoil from wickedness. So may the God of peace sanctify you completely, and keep you in the spirit, soul and body blamelessly in the presence of our Lord King Iesou. Whoever faithful calls you, will be with you. Pray for us, brothers. Greet all brothers with a holy kiss. I will make you swear to read this letter to all the brothers. The grace of our Lord King Iesou be with you. (kjg 24 jun 83) * so it was settled from the beginning a god is required for salvation and a martyr who died for others cannot hinder the conception of a hope how many have used that as a key to power how many have fallen in the cause the love is there the brotherhood the persecution all that is required in the hope of something better heaven though is something else rather than peace on earth peace in heaven is the new reward and then there is the wrath if you do not join the cause you will forever be an outsider not among men but among god and cannot gain entry to heaven not matter how good your works you must emulate the martyr you must praise the lord 54 AD the year the emperor claudius died and nero was consecrated as emperor nero was hailed as saviour and claudius was deified 54 AD was also the year first thessalonians was supposedly written all in all 54 AD was still a peaceful time nero for his first few years was a conscientious emperor with great promise claudius left a prosperous empire to continue his legacy then in 61 AD the followers of an insurgent names crestus instigated riots in rome nero was in greece when the fires were set it is now believed it was to burn down a derelict part of rome where nero's golden house was to be built but got out of control nero blamed the followers of the insurgent crestus a fairly common name and they were rounded up and put to death in the circus of caligula and nero where under constantine the vatican was built whether crestus had anything to do with christianity is very much debatable but when 300 years later the history was backtracked then became hopelessly intermingled in a political debate a religion was born out of chaos through the fog of time the bible as we know it was compiled and hundreds of teachings and gospels destroyed the roman church was god on earth everything else was heresy then a list of popes drawn up whether there was proof of their existence or not a whole mythology developed far away from what the first letter said * dig deeply and question always question to follow blindly leads to blindness a god that does not answer questions is not a god who cares i wanted to see what was there at the beginning and so you have it whether you agree with it or not is not really of consequence it's there i translated it awkward in places quite well done in others this is how i function investigate and learn if i am mistaken correct me i will listen to reason i will not listen to blind faith i will then decide and follow no path but my own i am the way to my own salvation i am not here to take others with me i cannot tell you what is true or not perhaps there is no truth perhaps there is only the moment we conceive through being sentient react to a reaction my cat knows more than me that I'm sure of little else kjg 7 - 9 september 2014 Canto XX The priest approached the closed shrine which contained the figure of the god, and having broken the seal and untied the cord he said: "The cord is broken, the seal is undone, I am come to bring thee the Eye of Horus, thine Eye is to thee, O Horus. The mud of the seal is broken, the celestial ocean is penetrated, the intestines of Osiris are drawn out. I am not come to destroy the god on his throne, I am come to set the god on his throne." The priest next drew the bolt, which symbolized the removal of the finger of Set from the Eye of Horus, and when he had thrown open the doors of the shrine, and the light fell upon the face of the figure of the god, he declared that the "heavens were opened," and the ceremony was complete. (Osiris & The Egyptian Resurrection -- E.A. Wallis Budge) When the body of Osiris was ready to leave this earth for heaven, some difficulty, it seems, arose in rising him up to he sky, and a ladder was found to be necessary. "Ra setteth up the ladder before Osiris, Horus setteth up the ladder before his father Osiris in his going to his spirit. One of them [standeth] on his side, them on that side. and one of them on that side. Unas is between them." With the assistance of Horus and Set, Osiris stood on the ladder, and with their help he ascended and entered heaven. When Osiris stepped from the ladder into heaven, he entered among the company of the gods as a "living being," not merely as one about to begin a second state of existence with the limited powers and faculties which he possessed upon earth, but as one who felt that he had the right to rule heaven and the denizens there of. ... We now see Osiris seated as a god in heaven... ... (Osiris & The Egyptian Resurrection -- E.A. Wallis Budge) * the way is firm dismemberment and resurrection as a god without judas there would be no passion play if we follow the logical theology all these gods were born before they were born and resurrected after they died yet the mother of god exists even though she did not exist when god was born only when god as the son was born fathered by himself egyptian masturbation rite osiris' penis jesus' blood the serpent eating it's own tail devouring itself to shed itself and be reborn through a butt hole new and resurrected eternal cycle of the sun and moon it's an on-going cycle everlasting life sought but never realized but then we'll never know * Heaven hath poured out the life of Sept, and behold the son of Sept lives. The Two Companies of the gods have purified him in the imperishable constellation of the Great Bear. His house is not destroyed in heaven, his throne is not destroyed upon the earth. Men supplicate him, the gods fly to him. The goddess Sept hath made him to fly to heaven to be with his brethren the gods. The great goddess Nut hath laid bare her shoulders for him, and she hath fashioned Two Divine Souls to be at the head of the Souls of An, under the head of Ra. His throne is before Ra, and they do not give it to any other, and he appeareth in heaven before Ra. His face is like the faces of hawks, his wings are like the wings of geese, his nails are like the claws of the god Tuf. (Osiris & The Egyptian Resurrection -- E.A. Wallis Budge) One of the strongest proofs that the Egyptians in the Dynastic Period had no horror of cannibalism is proved by a chapter in the text cut on a wall inside the pyramid of King Unas, a King of the Vth or the VIth dynasty, a Sakkarah. In this the dead king is supposed to feed upon his fathers and his mothers, and, not content with is, he hunts the gods in the meadows of the sky, and his helpers snare them, stab them, disembowel them, cut them up, and cook them for him. He then eats three full meals a day, at morning, and night, and devours their hearts and entrails till he can eat no longer. By gorging himself i this manner, he absorbs all the magical powers and mental characteristics of the gods, as well as their spirits, his object being to live forever. This text was so popular that another copy of it was cut on the wall inside the pyramid of Teta, a king of the VIth dynasty, who wished, apparently, to emulate the exploits of Unas. (Osiris & The Egyptian Resurrection -- E.A. Wallis Budge) * through time immemorial through the cold dark chambers of the mysteries that argue time into a curved suspension those who enter here will not return but will transform forever into whatever magic fits the shadow of the quest the cave is never off the beaten path no hidden grove no beast to terrorise the weary traveller no need for virgil as a guide indeed it's there in front of you an open book restricted only by our learning slowly the knowledge gathers and evolves into a clarity of understanding this is what i wish to do understand what is in front of me not hidden but revealed * Another proof that human beings were sacrificed at the funerals of the followers of Osiris is furnished by Chapter LII of the Book of the Dead. In this Chapter, which was written with the view of providing the deceased with food, he is made to say, "Let me directly my fields in Tetu (Busiris), and my crops in Anu (Heliopolis), let me live on bread made of white grain, and beer made of red grain (barley), may there be given to me the victims of my father and mother as guardians of my door." The word I have rendered as "victim" is abtu. Formerly I translated it as "ancestors," and compared it with the Hebrew word for "fathers," but it seems that it is rather to be connected with the idea of "smiting," "slaughtering," etc., an idea which is suggested by the determinative. The word no doubt means sacrifices, and the other determinative, indicate clearly that they were men and women, and the deceased seems to wish that victims may be sacrificed to him, even as they were for his father and mother. (Osiris & The Egyptian Resurrection -- E.A. Wallis Budge) The putting to death of human beings at funerals does not appear to be the result of bloodthirstiness and cruelty on the part of those who sacrificed them; on the contrary, it arises feelings of fear or respect, or feelings of love and affection for the dead, and the wish to pay them honour. It would be a disgrace to the whole community for a king to arrive in the Other World without a proper retinue of wives, slaves, and attendants, as it is certain that the king will live again, or rather continue his existence which death interrupted temporarily, he will need everything which he needed in this world. Moreover, sacrifices must be offered up at intervals at his grave, so that additions may be made to his retinue, and his state maintained. (Osiris & The Egyptian Resurrection -- E.A. Wallis Budge) * today of course we find such cruelty and sacrifice abhorrent some say iesou was sacrificed or sacrificed himself so we no longer have to sacrifice ourselves or others as osiris elevated ritual rather than the act thus osiris and iesou connect along the lines of history and his parents too iesou into egypt to escape herod's wrath yet egypt at the time was under roman jurisdiction just as israel was in fact in a sense iesou returned home to the resurrection to the beginning to the sacrifice returning as a paschal lamb the wine is my blood the bread is my flesh to this day we follow what osiris decreed * The priest begins by kindling a light in the sanctuary of the god, then taking a censer in his hand, and attaching to it the cup containing hot ashes, he throws incense into it; at each act he says the prescribed formulae. He then advance to the shrine, and breaks he cord which fastens the two doors, and also the seal, which he removes. He draws opened the doors, and looks upon the god, and then prostrates himself flat on his stomach with his forehead resting on the ground. After the recital of the hymn of praise an offering of incense and honey is made. Then the priest advances to the shrine of the god, and stands at the foot of the steps, and then goes near the figure of the god and removes the decorations which he had placed on it the day before. Further ceremonies of purification with water and incense are performed, and the priest begins to dress the god for the day. He puts on him garments of various colours, red, white, and green, he anoints him with the seven holy oils, sprinkles perfume on him, smears his eyelids with eye-paint, places the sceptre, crook, and whip in his hands, arranges the crown with feathers on his head, places a pectoral on his breast, and fastens a collar about his neck. The myrrh which had been burning during the performance of these ceremonies has filled the chapel with its pungent odour, and the space in which the shrine stands is ceremonially pure. The priest draws the doors of the shrine together, ties the bolts with a cord, affixes a seal, and utters a magical formula which shall keep all evil spirits from the shrine. He then descends the steps and leaves the chapel. Meanwhile other "slaves of the god" have been occupied in presenting the offerings of meat and drink, etc., which were brought to the chamber specially made to receive them, and the spirit of the god dwelling in the figure in the shrine partook of the spiritual portion of each offering, leaving the material parts for the "slaves of the god" and the other temple servants. (Osiris & The Egyptian Resurrection -- E.A. Wallis Budge) kjg 9 - 10 september 2014 Finis Part III Copyright (c) 2014 by Klaus J. Gerken Published by Ygdrasil Press 2014