The Myth of Osiris - 2. Chapter 2 - the story in poetry

In the beginning there was the union of Nut and Ra

Nut's heart belonged to another, she was asked, “Pour quois?”

She loved Geb, god of the Earth

Ra, in this, found absolutely no mirth

He forbade the union to have any children, much to her craze

On any of the year’s three hundred and sixty days

Nut summoned Thoth, who sadly in recognition

Knew that Ra's curse must come to fruition

Thoth challenged Khonsu, whose light rivalled the sun

In his victory, one-seventh of his light Thoth won

To the year Thoth added days numbering five

In which Nut could exercise her starved sex drive

On day number one, Nut did give birth

To a son Osiris, “The Lord of all Earth”

Horus was born, on day number two

Another boy with whom to play coochie-coo

On day number three along came Seth

Another boy, but one who will bring death

On day number four, came the birth of dear Isis

To Osiris, she was indeed most desirous

Nephthys was born, on day number five

Another darling daughter, completed the hive

After their births, to the heavens Ra ascended

Now a great god, he looked most splendid

Osiris was king, he was just and wise

His people viewed him as a treasured prize

He taught them art and worship of the gods

But with his brother Seth, he remained at odds

The Egyptians loved Osiris, they had bounty in excess

But for Seth, there only was envy and covetousness

Once his people were civilized, Egypt shone like a star

He left to spread his teachings to lands flung afar

Isis his queen, ruled in his name

Under her care, things remained just the same

Seth wants vengeance, so forms an alliance

And under him, they begin their defiance

Seth throws a party, invites Osiris the dimwit

He offers a gift to the one it will fit

After feasting Seth brings out a lovely ornate box

Made to fit Osiris, indeed Seth is a clever old fox

When Osiris climbed inside, the lid is slammed shut

It's nailed and locked and sealed lickety-cut

Osiris still alive, the box is tossed in the Nile

Down and down it sinks for a quarter of a mile

The news reaches Isis, who was far far away

She hurried back to Egypt without any delay

Deep in her grief the mourning dress she does don

Her love for Osiris, it pushes her on

She hunted and hunted for her husband's corpse

But no sign of the box as her grief further warps

Eventually a shock, much to her dismay

To the land of Byblos the box had sailed away

Osiris’ body had turned a bush to a tree

One inside which he would never be free

The tree was cut down by the Byblos king

To give his palace that little bit more zing

To the land of Byblos, Isis does go

To find her husband, amid her sorrow

Alone at a fountain, a heart sorrow laden

When joined she is by several queen’s maiden

To these maidens she is quite pleasant

Unto them treats are made of a present

Braids their hair, and perfumes them all over

Such sweet scents, of life’s great clover

The Queen of Byblos, of Isis is told

The beautiful woman, she wishes to behold

To one of the princes, Isis becomes nursemaid

So in the great land of Byblos, is where she stayed

Each and every night Isis would build a fire

And the young prince would be thrust into this pyre

Isis then changed into a bird, a swallow

And in her deep sadness she did wallow

When the queen heard about this, she refused to believe

Such tales about sweet Isis, she could not conceive

Then one night as the queen did see

Isis and child, it was like a reverie

The queen tried to save her o so young boy

To be scolded by Isis for destroying his joy

Unbeknownst to the queen, Isis would never harm the boy’s bod

For through her great magic, Isis would have made him a god

Now knowing Isis’ true name and identity

She explained to the queen, her husband in the tree

She begged of the queen to grant her one boon

Return her Osiris, so quick, so soon

This request the queen granted, the pillar cut down

The chest went to Isis, the tree to the town

Isis returned home, her husband’s corpse in tow

The tree in Byblos, now worshipped, since long long ago

Isis then opened the box, on her own but brief

Joined by Nephthys, so deep in their grief

To mourn for Osiris, they change into kites

High overhead, they screech into the nights

Horus the younger was left in Buto

When Isis, to Byblos, she did go

Off to retrieve him, her pride and joy

Her child with Osiris, her dear little boy

So the box was hidden, in the most secretive place

To be hidden from Seth, by the gods’ sweet grace

Seth was out hunting, when what does he find

His dead brother’s corpse, he went out of his mind

Osiris was torn apart, literally limb from limb

By Seth’s own two hands, the task seemed not grim

Fourteen pieces scattered throughout the realm

Poor Isis it threatened to overwhelm

In a boat of papyrus, she begins her search

Osiris’ love, Seth will never besmirch

Where she finds a piece of her lovebird

A shrine is erected, and the body interred

During this time the child has grown

But again he left to be all alone

Osiris is deified, the king of the dead

Down the path of vengeance, his son is led

Horus must avenge his father’s death

By facing his uncle, the wicked Seth

A great battle is waged which swings and sways

Still it is fought, even into these days

One great day soon the battle will be over

Horus will triumph in a blazing nova

On that day the most holiest of days

Osiris will be master of all he surveys