Meetings With Egyptian Gods: Nut Poem by Pete Crowther

I am the goddess, Nut,
Begotten of Shu and Tefnut.
Geb is my brother
And lover.
I straddle the earth
Like a rainbow
Sprinkled with stars.
I hold up the sky
On my sturdy back.
Above me Nun,
Ocean of chaos,
Waters of darkness,
Inchoate, formless,
Presses upon me
Like a shroud
Weighted with lead,
But I am strong,
Strong to protect.

At dusk
I take the sun
Into my mouth,
Swallow him whole,
His boat and his crew.
All night long
The boat of the sun
Sails down
Through my body’s
Dark waters.
At dawn he is born
Radiant, new.
I am his mother,
He is my son.
Through him I give you light,
Through him I give you life.
Without me you would die,
Drowned in the waters of Nun.