crack the clay envelope

[radiantfracture]

[ETA: thank you, sabotabby! You'd think a so-called scholar would look at the receipts.]

A curious and wonderful artefact has appeared in the mail.

At first I thought it was my copy of The Play of Gilgamesh by Edwin Morgan, arrived under another name, perhaps in a new edition. By someone else. Hmm.

But no, upon examination, it is another book entirely, a dual collection of poems in Spanish and English, called Enkidu is dead and not dead/esta muerto y no lo esta by a Tucker Lieberman. Who seems to be a trans poet of whom I do not recall knowing until now.

There is a beautiful illustration of Gilgamesh and Enkidu embracing on the cover by artist Luis Carlos Barragan.

How about this, then (from the first poem, "How I Thought it Worked"):

We live forever, Enkidu and I. This is how:
when we do not like the story,
he breaks the tablet,
speaks the ibis words: Send us back.

or this (from "Enkidu is Gone"):

Enkidu makes the feathers grow on the hawk

Or this:

If I am the rope, and you are the weaver--
If I lower you into a well, and you rip out the threads--
If a space in my heart lets the blood through--
If we cannot weave together, but you weave and I weave-

That is the first poem.

Thank you. It is a beautiful gift.

{rf}

Comments

[sovay]

But no, upon examination, it is another book entirely, a dual collection of poems in Spanish and English, called Enkidu is dead and not dead/esta muerto y no lo esta by a Tucker Lieberman. Who seems to be a trans poet of whom I do not recall knowing until now.

Tucker Lieberman is a friend of mine. He's a marvelous writer; he also once edited a short-lived but superb magazine of philosophy which published three of my poems. I did not send you his collection and I am so glad you have it.

[radiantfracture]

You didn't send it? You're a third of my suspects.

It's really splendid. And a weird and beautiful object, which is my favorite.

[sabotabby]

You know Tucker too??? Small world.

I became friends with him through The Most Famous Short Film Of All Time and he did not once mention to me that he wrote this and then when I found out, I immediately bought two copies, one for me and one for radiantfracture.

[sovay]

You know Tucker too??? Small world.

I met him through a college friend of mine when they were briefly dating (I believe he brought Tucker to my family's annual Hanukkah party). The friend turned into someone I didn't have a friendship with and Tucker remained awesome; we stayed in contact, albeit mostly over social media, after he moved out of the country. I was, however, also somehow unaware of this collection and need a copy tout damn stat. I think it is wonderful that you know him!

[sabotabby]

He's rad as hell. Way too humble about his own work, though, which is how I failed to find out about this.

[radiantfracture]

I think you will like it. sabotabby made a real find.

[sabotabby]

I'm glad you like it! Of course as soon as I found out of its existence I knew you needed a copy.

[starshipfox]

That looks like a beautiful book! I've added it to my to-read list.

[radiantfracture]

I like it a lot! If you read it, let me know what you think.