Hatshepsut

Hatshepsut: Queen of Egypt

seventy times

blue-haired Ra
has died.
bearded Hatshepsut

she a king, now

a brainless skull.

natron swallows
juice of muscle,
yellow flesh stretches
over parceled pieces;
she will eat and drink once more.

she could do no wrong
when royal gold
caused heads and hearts to bow,

when sister obelisks first
tossed dusty rays on Karnak. now

she is judged, feathered-soul
meets black resurrection. daughter prays

black Osiris gives back mother’s

imperial heartbeat.