A Hymn to Ra

Accept me, Ra, before you go,

before I go,

I pray ...

Do polychromatic dawn threads

coat you,

like the tiny coruscating disks

sewn into a sequin dress?

Bring me to the breast of the night,

let me suckle stars,

cuddle obsidian cosmos ancestors ...

They honor you, Ra,

like I do.

We sing your praises when you rise,

we weep

whenever you duck under the earth.

Embrace me, like a mother, O eternal night!

Fold me,

like a black origami flamingo,

forever protected

by dark paper, dark praise ...

Let all be run by your rule, Ra!

You know I’m your right-hand man, right?

You made me into a microchip,

a code that doesn’t die ...

Hand me over to the hours

of day and night.

Time is my bulletproof vest.

I’m an ankle-tagged newborn

tongue-tied to the nipple of dawn,

the teat of dusk.

A child of the dark,

midnight skies move over my skin,

black-limbed angels of unburdened air,

ardent guardians,

keep me close,

but I fear the bulls with backward horns ...

O hula hoop of light, eye of Ra,

unremitting rage,

you are my 24/7 security squad,

discover me as your gift ...

Translated from the Old Egyptian