A Mummy's Viewpoint

(an alternative view after a museum visit in Oxford)

Encased in glass, I lie supine,

as people pass by single file.

My body bound by linen strips

in geometric patterned style

of ancient Egypt's craftsmanship.

A Roman portrait at my head,

my lips are pursed, too sad to smile.

"She was a beauty", I hear said,

"How did she meet her early death?

Her pearls portray a life of wealth,

too bad her riches and her gold

could not have bought her better health".

Into a stranger's land I'm brought,

away from all I've ever known,

where day to day I am displayed

undignified, away from home.

The afterlife I had in mind

was where I languished in my dreams,

yet here within museum walls,

it's not the heaven that it seemed.

My silent cries are lost to all,

how small I am within this place.

Repatriate me, please I ask

to find elation on my face.

Reviews

[jacob erin-cilberto]

and in the end...no matter how big or important we were in life....in death we are the same size as anyone else...
i like the theme here...and it is coincidental...because I am reading a book right now about a woman in a coma..she has her thoughts and hears what people are saying , but cannot communicate and they all think she is oblivious when actually she is not...interesting what we can hear in those situations...
being on display is never easy.
j.

[Chris Shaw]

That book sounds interesting Jacob, and is on a subject I have often pondered on. The awfulness of being imprisoned in your mind while your body is effectively useless. Pleased to hear where my words took you. Many thanks.

Chris

[The Black Penman]

I truly Enjoy you r style of Writing Christine.

[Chris Shaw]

Hello there Black Penman. So good to see you and I am so pleased that you enjoy my poetry. That means a great deal.

Chris

[Dave]

This is such a thoughtful piece of writing. I never before gave a thought as to how a mummy might have felt about their being tucked away in a museum. In my years of teaching I taught about ancient Egypt and about their curious attitude toward death. Of course they saw themselves going on to the "Afterworld" and living a well deserved afterlife. I'm positive it didn't include being an object of curiosity in a far off museum.

Take care - Dave

[Chris Shaw]

Thanks Dave. As I filed past with all the other visitors, I just got a really strange feeling. Although interested I felt like a voyeur and I felt uncomfortable, that I was looking at human remains. The poem stemmed from those feelings. Appreciate your response.

Chris

[Stella Armour]

Rest in peace, but she doesn't bless her .... who knows if she has awareness, and if she does how dreadful ..

[Chris Shaw]

You have summed up how I felt Stella. Thank you.

Chris

[Carola]

i love your poetry, wonderful choice of words, great themes. you paint beautiful word pictures !
cheerio carola

[Chris Shaw]

Carol, I am so pleased you enjoy my poetry. I am thankful for your visits. All good wishes.

Chris

[Einstein Noodle]

wow! well done Christine ...powerful social conscious awakening ... i watch things on TV ... have read articles ... seen some news casts about Mummies ... and shamefully never thought about the disregard for their burial rights .. at the forefront of my thinking is what an incredible "find" ... and to learn more about ancient civilizations ... i'm not sure that putting them back in their resting places is the best either tho ... i have the horrible feeling that worse people than geologists would be pawing all over them ... i love the voice of your poem ... Egyptians did believe in a "soul" from what i have read ... and that it was a perhaps complicated path that souls had to take .. hence the spells and directions written on the walls of tombs, coffins and later all the different "Books" ie "The Book of the Dead" ..all giving tips and directions for the soul to take ... they started to preserve bodies as a result of the belief that a persons soul may want to return to its body ... and so they started to mummify ;) i am not sure i would ever want to be the one to open those sites ... let alone extract things ... but better in the hands of museum caretakers than thieves of lesser ambitions
E.

[Chris Shaw]

Dear Mr E, like yourself I am an avid fan of all those wonderful TV programmes about ancient finds. However watching from a TV screen, it didn't occur to me that I would feel any different if I was actually in the presence of a mummy. I did. I couldn't stop thinking about her as a person who had died, being oggled by strangers in a strange land. I just had to give her a voice. Thank you so much for your interest and response. It is always such a pleasure to have you visit. All good wishes.

Chris

[Einstein Noodle]

yeah .. i hear you ... my first thoughts when reading were of a touring display of Gunther von Hagens' skinned, human cadavers ...i was a working RN at the time and thought how interesting it must be ..but seeing it in person was very distressing .. and then later finding out all the bodies were taken from Chinese prisoners who had died and no one gave any consent to it at all .... creeps me out just thinking of it ..the only positives i got out of it were a healthy heart vs one loaded with cholesterol ... and the healthy lung vs. one from a smoker ... and the horse with rider was impressive .. but as a whole it was almost nauseating ....i wrote a poem called the mummy a while back but must have retired it from the Cafe' ...i think i will do a resurrection ... i will let you know ... you might enjoy it .. its a different theme altogether but very Egyptian ;)

[Chris Shaw]

So interesting what you have written here. How awful that Chinese prisoners should end up that way, on display. Positively grisly. Yes I would very much like to read your poem. Let me know when you post it. Have a good day.

Chris

[lightsong]

wow dear Chris this really amazing! Your voice is so touching and You absolutely spoke the voice of a mummy with the finest tune, the wistfulness that swept through Your words is greatly felt, Your last two verse are the highlight stunningly moving!

[Chris Shaw]

So thankful for your visit today Light and for your very generous review. I am pleased I spoke for that mummy and you heard me. All good wishes.

Chris

[lightsong]

You truly spoke with an amazingly fine voice dear Chris.

the best wishes for You too*

[Chris Shaw]

Many thanks :)

[Tate Morgan]

I like this so true. Recently I started looking back on my past and investigating what happened to those I left behind only to find that maybe some inquiries are best left alone. The two I looked for had both died alone

[Chris Shaw]

Thank you for your visit Tate. Yes, sometimes that us true. When you start retracing people from the past, it doesn't always end happily. Sometimes we find out things we would rather not know. All good wishes.

Chris

[Annette Pisano-Higley]

Where the lost things go...what a unique perspective Chris! This intriguing poem has perfection in form, rhyme, perfection in language, form, flow and vivid imagery of past and present. You skillfully bring this forgotten mummy back to life with your beautiful, poignant words. Great idea. Great poem!

[Chris Shaw]

Dear Annette, so pleased you enjoyed the subject matter of this poem. It's strange how our muse works at times. I never know what I am going to get. Always so happy to receive your reviews.All good wishes.

Chris

[Onlyme]

Great poem Chris, I do agree, seeing someone corpse on display is not exactly very respectful and nice. Particularly when that was ones a living human being.

[Chris Shaw]

Many thanks Dawn and it looks as though you shared my distaste. Always appreciate your visits.

Chris

[Samuel Dickens]

I was about seven when I first saw mummies. American Indians, they were, sitting upright in a glass case. I think they came from a cave in New Mexico. Whereas I'm pretty sure they never anticipated being put on display, their Egyptian counterparts were clearly dolled up to look their best. In all honesty, I feel much worse for the poor Indians. Thank goodness their spirits are long gone. This fascination we have with the macabre surely isn't one of our best attributes. Now flowers pressed between pages is a different matter?
Like you, I've looked upon Egyptian mummies and wondered how they might feel about all the prying eyes.

[Chris Shaw]

I so liked your flowers pressed between two pages Sam. That is much more my way of thinking. Thank you for sharing your story about the American Indians. I feel the same way about them. Human remains are sacred. I don't like the idea of them being on open display. I find it distasteful and lacking respect. Hope all is good with you and a belated birthday greeting to you.

Chris