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PHOTO CREDIT: Above photo by John Rickman Photography, San Jose, California.
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Ma'at
By Jezibell
Black
land, soft and rich,
Fertile ribbon 'round the gift of the Nile.
Crops growing green and lush,
Food for many people.
Red land, bitter desert,
Wild wailing wind and sterile sand,
Barrier against invasion and emigration,
Guarding and girding the gift of the Nile.
This duality created Egypt -
The convergence of black land and red land,
The balance of order and chaos,
Personified as Ma'at, Goddess of Truth.
Ancient Egyptians ate figs and honey
In celebration of Ma'at,
To remind themselves that truth is sweet.
Egypt, both abundant and barren,
Blend of wet and dry, rich and poor, light and shadow,
Honored as the Goddess Ma'at,
Who sits by a golden scale,
Weighing the hearts of the dead against the feather of truth,
And judging the balance for the afterlife. |
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About this Poem
| The unique geography of Egypt — a fertile river valley surrounded
by desert — helped to shape its magnificent culture. Ancient
Egyptian religion was centered around the maintenance of Ma'at,
the way of balance and truth; the word was the name of the Goddess
and also referred to the ideal concept of life — somewhat equivalent
to the Asian tao. For more information about Ma'at, see The
Goddesses Of Ancient Egypt elsewhere on this web site. |
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Other Poems by Jezibell on this Site
About the Poet
Jezibell is a poet, actress, bellydancer, teacher, and Wiccan
High Priestess who lives and works in New York City.
Jezibell has been writing poetry for most of her life as a form of both catharsis and creative expression. Her insights
and imagery flow out of her spiritual life, her dance, and her wide-ranging studies of ancient history, culture and mythology,
especially of Egypt, Mesopotamia and Greece. Her work has appeared in such diverse publications as Nomad's Choir, Perceptions, Xenophilia,
Our Pagan Times, and Circle Network News.
Special events have given Jezibell opportunities to combine
her multi-faceted interests in poetry, dance, and spirituality.
Her dance performances sometimes include brief introductions
with poetry to set the mood for the flowing movements of her
innovative choreography. For example, she has done readings of
her Isis poems, this one and Invocation Of The Priestess [also
on this web site], followed by a sublime dance using ethereal,
life-size golden wings. She also dances with a sword, demonstrating
extraordinary balance, and does a haunting performance in a darkened
room while holding candles that cast an exotic glow on her every
gesture and motion. Further, she uses her dance and poetry skills
in ritual and Goddess circles, as well as in her role as a teacher
of Paganism at Enchantments, a well-known source of Goddess information
and materials. |
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