THE ASSEMBLY OF THE GODS OF THE ANCIENT PEOPLES

That tempestuous wind, those night black clouds—
in their darkness the lightning itself had lost its lustre;
an ocean suspended in their air,
its skirt rent, few pearls pouring, 1600
its shore invisible, its waves high-surging,
high-surging, powerless to battle with the winds.
Rumi and I in that sea of pitch
were as phantoms in the bedchamber of the mind—
he much-travelled, I new to travel, 1605
my eyes impatient to gaze abroad.
Continually I cried: ‘My sight is inadequate,
I do not see where the other world may be!’
Presently a mountain-range appeared,
a river, a broad meadow appeared, 1610
mountain and plain embracing a hundred springtides—
fragrant with musk came the breeze from the hills.
Songs of birds conspiring together,
fountains, and verdant herbs half-grown.
The body was fortified by the emanation of that air, 1615
the pure spirit in the flesh keener of vision.
I fixed my gaze on the top of a mountain;
a joyful the mountain, the slope, the stretching plain;
a lovely valley, even, not sinking nor rising—
the water of Kbizr would have need of such a land. 1620
In this valley were the ancient gods,
there the God of Egypt, here the Lord of Yemen,
there a Lord of the Arabs, here of Iraq,
this one the god of union, that the god of separation,
here an offspring of the sun, and the moon’s son-in-law, 1625
another looking to the consort of Jupiter,
one holding a two-edged sword in his hand,
another with a serpent wreathed about his throat.
Each one was trembling at the Beautiful Name,
each wounded by the smiting of Abraham. 1630
Mardukh said: ‘Man has fled from God,
fled from church and sanctuary, lamenting,
and to augment his vision and perception
turns his gaze backwards to the past age.
He takes delight in ancient relics, 1635
makes speeches about our theophanies.
Time has revealed a new legend;
a favourable wind is wafting from younder earth.’
Baal in excess of joy chanted sweetly
Unveiling our secrets to the gods. 1640