The Katabasis of Ishtar

Ishtar queen of heaven far and near

The realm of Hades she set her ear

To her sister Ereshigkal, the finest clothes she wore

And said farewell to her loyal companion Ninshubar.

“Loyal Maid Ninshubar,”

said Great Ishtar 

“When I have not returned in three days,”

“Go to the gods to which humanity prays.”

“Father Nanna, Enlil and Ea,”

“He the master of primal Abzu’s sea,”

“The one I got drunk, from whom I stole the Mes,”

“With which I became the mistress of destinies.”

After which the goddess set off

In which brother Shamash the sun shines not  

The place where men have mud and clay for bread

Irkalla, the dreaded realm of the dead.

The harpies flew away from the goddess blest

The souls of the dead who cannot rest 

Cloaked in feathers they ran through the door

Which the Queen of Heaven stood before.

Ishtar sayeth “Let me in my sister's door,”

“I am the Queen of heaven and celestial whore.”

“If you do not let me enter, I smash the gate,”

“And the bolts and locks shall meet their fate.”

“To Tammuz beloved I descend,”

“To my sister my plea you send,”

“If not the dead shall rise from the grave,”

“They shall outnumber the living whose flesh they crave!”

Cutha, gatekeeper to his mistress fled

Ereshigkal terrifying lady of the dead.

When she heard the threats, her body shook

Like the tree whose trunk the axe has took.

“Has her heart or liver moved?” Ereshigkal said

“To forsake beer and wine and drink dust instead,”

“Where I mourn the souls of lovers too soon snatched,”

“For the infants that go down Lamashtu and Lilith's hatch.”

“Go Cutha and let my sister in,”

“Guide her here, the daughter of Sin.”

“Open up Irkalla’s gate,”

“Lasciate ogni speranza voi ch’intrate.”

Through the first gate, her large crown was take

“Why take off my celestial crown?” Ishtar spake

Cutha said “The laws of Irkalla I must obey,”

“The Crown on your head must go away.”

Through the second gate, her earrings lost

“Why take off my earrings, is that your cost?”

“Lady Ishtar, your sister's laws I must obey,”

“Those earrings of yours must go away.”

At the Third, he took the jewels surrounding her neck

“Now you're taking my necklace too, what the heck?”

“Allatu, Infernal queen I must obey,”

“The jewels on thy neck must go away.”

The Fourth gate, he took away the covering of her tits

Ishtar’s hand struck his face in multiple hits

“Forgive me mistress, I must obey,”

“Your golden bra must go away.”

At gate Five, he took her golden belt

“Take one more and I have your pelt.”

“Inanna please don’t kill me, I must obey,”

“Your gemmed belt must go away”

Now at 6, he took away her arm and leg braces

Cutha warded off the goddess of sweet embraces.

“Calm down lady, Ereshigkal I shall obey,”

“Your limb braces must go away.”

Finally at the seventh her loincloth he cleft

“Dude that’s the only thing I have left.”

“You're all done, I must say,”

“Ereshigkal's palace is at the end of your way.”

Thus Ishtar was in the land of no return

She approached her sister with expression stern

Ereshigkal to Ishtar spoke “No trespassing, you entitled dick.”

“Namtar go make my sister sick.”

Namtar with his plague whip the goddess struck

The Queen of Heaven said “oh fuck.”

With sixty diseases Ishtar was tormented 

Those of eyes, sides, feet, heart and head.

After these the goddess’ corpse was hung, 

Upon a meat hook she was strung

With an iron bar she was impaled

The taste of ferrum she inhaled.

When she was gone, of light there was no amount.

The donkey the jenny, he did not mount.

The cow did not lie under the bull

All passion then was null.

Mylitta’s maids that stroll the street

No man came to enjoy their pleasures sweet.

The girl with her friends she goes to sleep

The boy alone in his apartment in slumber deep.

Ninshubar, hearing that Ishtar had not returned from the pit

Lamented to Anu and Enlil in garments covered in shit. 

Shamash and Nanna in grief shed their light.

Only Gibil illuminated the dark night.

To Ea, King of the Earth, she said

“Lady Ishtar has not returned from the land of the dead”

“For your son Tammuz, to Irkalla she came,”

“She’s amongst those who have no name.”

Ea the wise, he made Ashunamir

Without male or female parts a being quite queer 

“Ashunamir,” Enki spoke “to Irkalla descend,”

“The waters of life with you attend.”

“Upon the lips of Tammuz and Ishtar pour,”

“Descend through the infernal sevenfold door.”

“I hope your beauty Ereshigkal has struck,”

“Succeed in your mission so we may all fuck.”

Ashunamir descended into the land of the dead

The demons of hell before their radiance fled.

This beautiful being strode towards the infernal throne

Towards Ereshigkal the dreaded crone.

The lovers’ corpses they came upon

The waters of life on their lips poured on

As the last of the liquid was poured from the skin 

Ishtar and Tammuz arose with a grin.

At this Ereshigkal into anger flew

At Ashunamir her finger drew

“May the gutter be your source of food,”

“May the wall’s shadow be thy abode!”

“May you be called an abomination,”

“To be hated by all in every nation.”

“A threshold of gender in thresholds you dwell,”

“The sot and the drunkard shall make your life Hell!”

The trio from Ereshigkal and her demons have fled

Escaping from the terrifying land of the dead.

From the monstrous children of Hanbi

Towards the dwellings of the Annunaki.

Adramelech, the fabulous lord

To whom children were put to the sword

An ass-headed man with a peacock’s tail 

Tried to drag Tammuz off with the gale.

Geshtinanna, Bacchus' maid

Towards the dread god she laid

Prostrating herself to the demon dread

Saying “Spare my brother, take me instead.”

Tammuz, impressed by his sister's loyalty 

To offer herself up for infernal royalty

To go in his place to the land of the dead

Where dust is the drink and mud is the bread.

“Tammuz who's succumbed to bandit hag Belili,”

Ereshigkal spoke “You who originally died shall come with me.”

The witch, Chaldea's Adonis gored, in the shape of a ferocious boar

As revenge for her slain son, he who assaulted Ishtar the holy whore.

In the land of Meluhha the fatal hunt took place

When the dark clouds covered Shamash’s face

Rimmon’s thunder struck the ground

And the howling of demonic beasts whirled around.

“Brother Marduk hear my prayer,”

“Drive these demons back into their lair.”

“Vanquisher of Tiamat ancestral dragon,”

“Drive off Hadad son of Dagon.”

Tusks of lightning pierced the the young god's side

He fell off a cliff into the roaring tide

Upon the rocks his blood did flow 

Out of which the first anemones grow.

Some blood formed the river named for the patriarch

The original name meant a monarch

Ishtar descending from the skies

The imposing cliffs echoing her cries.

The rapist’s mother, she did flay

For her beloved Tammuz the hag did slay.

Ishtar's tears and blood in rivers flows

To form the flower of love the rose.

The Annunaki, impressed with Geshtinanna’s devotion.

Came with the hosts of Hell a solution 

Half the year, Tammuz in Irkalla stay

Half the year, Tammuz with Ishtar lay.

The maidens of Babylon shall weep for thee

As us mortals suffer in winter’s misery

But when in spring the lapis flute you play

Spring shall come and mortals shall be gay.

The fluffy lambs gambol around

Thee as you enter Urruk town 

Mylitta's maids at your presence rejoice

As you were the man of her choice.

You shall plough the fields of Anu

You shall plough Lady Anuittu

Lonely Ishtar awaits your embrace

Led to the bed by triune grace.

In your presence there grows the corn

In your temple Christ is born

I sing this song to celebrate your love

At feasts established by the daughter of the dove.

I sing of the goddess feared by the gods

Praise to the greatest of the Igigi and queen of us mortal sods

I sing of Ishtar the goddess feared by the gods

Praise to the greatest of the Igigi and queen of us mortal sods.

by Patrick Dannaher