Last Sunday, Bob and I spent the afternoon at the McClung Museum on the University of Tennessee campus in Knoxville. What a wonderful way to spend an afternoon, soaking up knowledge and history of both Man and the natural world, and enjoying so much beauty.
I hadn’t been to the McClung Museum since I was a teenager. And as some of you know, that’s been a VERY long time. I remembered that the McClung’s main attraction back then was their Egyptian collection. It still is. That, along with many exhibits pertaining to local geographical and archeological history, especially the Cherokee Indians.
I like to take notes when I’m in a museum.
Last week, I jotted down some beautiful phrases from the ancient Egyptian texts:
“Spend the day happily and weary not thereof
Lo, none can take his goods with him
Lo, none that hath departed can come again”
I’ve been reading a lot of ancient texts lately. It seems like they keep falling into my hands in unexpected places. I’m beginning to think that the universe has some kind of synchronistic plot afoot in my life.
This week, I picked up a volume of Homeric hymns from the free box outside the used book store. And then, at the Good Will, I found a book of Viking lore, with beautiful reproductions and translations of Viking poetry and myth as well as some of the Anglo Saxon Chronicles.
And then, last Saturday, I went to my friend Andy’s yard sale. I picked up a big Bible (because the print was BIG) and when I tried to pay for it, Andy said she couldn’t sell a Bible and insisted on giving it to me. And so, I have been reading the King James Version of the Old Testament this week.
In dipping into all these ancient texts, I’m struck by how beautiful and profound both the language and the sentiments are. It makes me think that yes, we’ve come a long way technologically over our ancestors, but I don’t think we’ve surpassed them spiritually or artistically. In fact, I think we may have regressed rather than evolved, in our capacity to express wonder and appreciation of the everyday magic and miracle that is this life, this planet, this galaxy, this universe. When I read their words and thoughts, I know how deeply connected I am to the spirits and accomplishments of the Ancient Ones. I don’t want to ever forget that I am the inventor of very little in my own life….I stand on the shoulders of a thousand generations of men and women who have lighted the way before me.
I wrote a poem, “The Ancient Ones,” this morning. It may become a song one day, but I doubt it. I think it’s just one more poem, written on a scrap of paper, on an early Saturday morning, by a simple woman in East Tennessee, in the final year of the first decade of the Third Millennium, A.D.
The Ancient Ones
In the sweep of sandy tides
Artifacts of long lost time
Fractured jasper, chips and flakes
That only human hands could make
Windsong whispers in the pines
I search for tools they left behind
Awls and axes, scrapers, blades
Discarded bones of ancient game
I climb the ridge and face the wind
I close my eyes and I pretend
I am with the Ancient Ones
I sense their spirits are not gone
Ghosts still fish and hunt this beach
A glacier once, now in retreat
The drum’s my heart
The flute’s my breath
The music lives
In one vast web
Each of us a tiny thread
The sun is low, the hours late
The tide is turning on the lake
Wind’s kicking up, I’m getting cold
It’s time for me to go back home
Back into the warmth and light
Seek shelter from the coming night
If I’m lucky, I’ll get old
Before I join the ancient fold
Be Well and Good Luck, Martha Maria
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Martha, Just lovely! thank you…TRACK
Thank YOU, for reading it, Track!
Love, love, love the serendipity of picking up ‘stuff’ as you saunter about your business. Doesn’t that just reinforce the old proverb – ‘when the student is ready…’? And a poem of spirit and the very ‘now’ – perfect!! Dabble at poetry myself — love the form — usually short and sweet – although my poetry seems to be darker than I feel. A subconscious attempt to be rid of old wounds???
Live on a reservation in NM — right smack on the Rio Grande River. Almost imediately noticed a ‘something’ different about the most exquisite mesas, mountains, valleys, sunrises and sunsets and inhabitants. Couldn’t come up with any word but ‘spiritual’ — very peaceful and calming. I think the Cochiti themselves are peaceful and calming. WE get invited to ‘feast’ days when they do the ancient dances and sing and feed people – even strangers! The feast is not only for the stomach but for the eyes and ears and — dare I say ‘soul’???!!! When ‘out of towners’ come to play golf — they almost always they comment on the ‘something’ so ‘there’ about the place. Even after playing a ‘bad’ round of golf.
Had an argument with a professor at Sussex University in England about this very thing – evolution. He was pointing at a tribe who had not evolved at all since they became a tribe. My answer was similar to yours – they are evolving naturally — we – on the other hand – are being pulled thru a knot-hole backwards in an evolution that is too fast, too furious and could be one of the huge reasons for drugs, drink, and all the negatives we seem to be facing today!! We are not meant to travel that fast. We run to ‘stuff’ to help us cope and escape. We run to technology thru our phones, tvs, ipods, computers, cars etc. Not a lot of face to face social intercourse happening!!! So will we become dependent on the sciences – ugh soooo cold!!!!
Hadn’t thought a lot about the ancients except to know they tried to lead with spirit. Also know my spirit will hold hands with their spirit — or – at least I hope so.
Thought provoking and beautiful — many thanks.
HI Maggie, I agree with you about ‘when the student is ready.’ So, you live in NM. My husband and I have been contemplating a Christmas visit to Santa Fe. I’ve never been there, but have always longed to visit the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. I’m not sure why, but, unseen, they haunt me. I wrote a song, Sangre de Cristo, a couple of years ago, about that area….of course, drawn from what I’ve read and photos. Now I want to really go. If we make it out there, maybe you could suggest some places for us to go. We’ll see. Thank for your wonderful response. Bye, Martha
Christmas in Santa Fe would be great!!! We’re surrounded by mountains — and I’m not that familiar with them — but will certainly aim you in the right direction!!! Depending on the weather – we could have a swing around the golf course and you could see what I mean!! May have snow — but just a dusting. Hope you do decide to visit and would really love to meet and chat!!!
Thanks for your kind response. I’ll keep you posted…if we go or not. Depends a lot on what my boys are up to and, of course, finances. MM
I love this post, I really do…I also love the poem you have written. It is beautiful I find it the second piece of egyptian text that you have written down to be interesting…”Lo, none can take his goods with him” for didn”t the egyptians
bury their dead with wordly goods that were to go to the othr side with them? Intersting dichotomy…
I wondered about that as well, pinkim. Ironic, maybe some spiritual skepticism in the ancient ones as well. WANTING to believe, oh TRYING so hard to believe, to make faith happen…I can relate.