ODE TO INANNA.

Did you know the oldest surviving love poem was inscribed on a clay tablet around 3500 B.C.? In it, a priestess offers her love and her body to a king.

Part of a MESOPOTAMIAN festival of fertility and power called Sacred Marriage that took place each year to affirm the King's potency and land's fertility and 'marriage' to the Goddess of love and war, INANNA (portrayed right) - this is a translation.

Bridegroom, dear to my heart,

Goodly is your beauty, honeysweet,

Lion, dear to my heart,

Goodly is your beauty, honeysweet.

You have captivated me,

Let me stand tremblingly before you.

Bridegroom, I would be taken by you to the bedchamber,

You have captivated me,

Let me stand tremblingly before you.Lion,

I would be taken by you to the bedchamber.

Bridegroom, let me caress you,

My precious caress is more savory than honey,

In the bedchamber, honey-filled,Let me enjoy your goodly beauty,

Lion, let me caress you,My precious caress is more savory than honey.

Bridegroom, you have taken your pleasure of me,

Tell my mother, she will give you delicacies,

My father, he will give you gifts.

Your spirit, I know where to cheer your spirit,

Bridegroom, sleep in our house until dawn,

Your heart, I know where to gladden your heart,

Lion, sleep in our house until dawn.

You, because you love me,

Give me pray of your caresses,

My lord god, my lord protector,

My Shu-Sin, who gladdens Enlil's heart,

Give my pray of your caresses.

Your place goodly as honey, pray lay your hand on it,

Bring your hand over like a gishban-garment,

Cup your hand over it like a gishban-sikin-garment.

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