You speak of being offended by toxic positivity as you sit there in your Carhartt beanie choking down a chai latte.

As if you knew the impact of a “you should smile more.” Or “it can’t be that bad, cheer up!”

when you’ve just had your lip split open by a baseball bat. You never had blood gushing from your brow on the wet pavement or the world reject you. You have never known the courage it takes to stand up and start again with nothing but your integrity.

The worst thing that has ever happened to you was not getting exactly what you wanted from a phone call to mommy.

So yeah, fuck you and your entire facade. Trying to coin sympathy from a phrase that you could never possibly understand.

Left to rot on the steps of the cathedral.

Blood boiling in the morning

sun.

White silk stained by years of running.

Fingers cut and bruised by the dishonor of others.

A pound of flesh for Jesus,

weighed in mojo bags

by beggars and thieves.

The Egyptians believed the most

important thing you could do in

your life was die.

An eye for an eye.

A tooth for a tooth.

Akhenaten standing

righteous in a hollow tomb.

The real face of Moses

easily plundered

and disfigured by time.

The boy king deceived by high priests.

Sodomised and murdered by sick belief.

Nothing new under the sun.

Wisdom cannot be tested against ignorance and greed.

So the Towers fall one by one.

As I burn here praying on the steps of the cathedral.

To a God known by none.

The mystery of him

would remain

unsolved

and for

the first time,

in a long time,

she no longer cared.

She ran out of excuses

when she watched

her beauty fade,

jet lagged and cracked

by his sky.

He would land soon in Memphis,

black bags resting stoic by the eleventh gate. A kid or a killer depending on the position of the moon or the amount of whiskey in his skin.

The killer was the red line,

the choking arrow pointing

true North.

Letting it go,

her intense desire,

changed the chemistry

of her blood, thickened it.

She closed her eyes

at the exact time

he boarded the plane.

distance their final goodbye

Eating chocolate fudge brownie ice cream and reading Bukowski.

Toes curled into soft cotton sheets.

Last nights food scattered on black plates below the headboard. The seagulls rose early this morning.

The bullfrogs fast asleep, buried in wet mud, sheltered from the Louisiana heat. The ceiling fan spins in slow resignation. “Should I make buttered toast?”

Flatware cowers in dish soap at the bottom of the sink.

“Just coffee, for now.“

The clean mugs hang from iron hooks and smile. The kettle kisses fire.

And so the day begins.

Oh the broken

shattered multitudes

gather around the fire

Curse your mothers carnal

smile and her destitute desire

for on that whim

you were born

to among the swine

to live your days in

bitterness and fear

Whip and slay

the other them

the them that

made you suffer

as you worship

lies and misanthropes

to quench your

dank desire

Oh the broken shattered

multitudes

how I do not envy

your despair

For what you do not see

behind the screen

nobody truly cares

Writers are

inherently

cerebral beings

deep

mysterious

prone to insomnia

and sexy as fuck

The seven sacred oils used in ritual and found in the tombs of the pharaoh have been a secret for millennia. I have recently been researching old texts and found reference to these oils in The Book of the Dead and various other source, but had never been able to narrow down the exact definition of these oils until now.

Ancient Egypt, a civilization that flourished along the Nile River over several millennia, held a deep belief in the supernatural and the power of magic. Magic played a crucial role in the lives of ancient Egyptians, influencing their religious practices, healing rituals, and burial customs. Oils and aromatic substances were an integral part of their magical and spiritual beliefs.

The Egyptians believed that magic could influence the natural and spiritual world. Magicians and priests were skilled in using spells, incantations, and amulets to invoke divine powers of Ra to protect against evil forces. These practices were woven into daily life, ranging from healing rituals to ensuring a successful afterlife.

Oils and aromatic substances, such as myrrh, frankincense, and lotus oil, held significant spiritual value. They were believed to possess purifying and protective properties. These oils were used in religious ceremonies to ward of evil spirits, as offerings to the gods, and in the embalming and mummification processes.

In the tombs of pharaohs and high-ranking officials, containers of seven precious oils were placed alongside the deceased. These oils were intended to accompany the spirits of the departed, providing nourishment and comfort. The embalming process also involved the use of oils and mummification resins to preserve the body for the journey to the afterlife.

The tombs often contained magical texts and spells inscribed on papyri or tomb walls. These texts were intended to protect the deceased from malevolent spirits and guide them through the perilous journey to the afterlife. Magical formulas and prayers were recited by priests during burial ceremonies and rituals.

Rituals involving oils and incantations were performed to invoke divine protection and blessings for the pharaoh and the kingdom. Offerings of oils and aromatic substances were made to gods and goddesses as a sign of devotion and reverence.

Oils were not only valued for their practical uses but also for their symbolic significance. They were seen as manifestations of divine essence, linking the mortal realm with the divine. The fragrance of the oils was believed to carry prayers and offerings to the gods.

The following are believed to be the sacred seven sacred oils:

1.Myrrh: Myrrh was one of the most commonly used aromatic substances in ancient Egypt. It was often used in religious rituals, embalming practices, and as an offering to the gods.

2.Frankincense: Like myrrh, frankincense was another valuable aromatic resin used in religious ceremonies and offerings to the gods.

3.Cedarwood Oil: Cedarwood oil was believed to have purifying properties and was used in rituals associated with cleansing and protection.

4.Lotus Oil: The lotus flower had symbolic significance in ancient Egypt, and its oil was used in religious rituals and to anoint statues of deities.

5.Almond Oil: Almond oil was used in various cosmetic and ritual practices, such as anointing statues or applying to the body during religious ceremonies.

6.Olive Oil: Olive oil was not only used as a culinary staple but also had religious significance in ancient Egyptian rituals and offerings.

7.Palm Oil: Palm oil was used in lamps for lighting religious sanctuaries and ceremonial spaces.

In conclusion, ancient Egyptian magic and the use of oils were deeply intertwined with their religious beliefs and funerary practices. Oils and aromatic substances played a vital role in their rituals, providing both practical and spiritual purposes. The tombs of pharaohs held a treasure trove of sacred oils, attesting to the significance of these substances in ensuring a successful journey to the afterlife and the continuation of the pharaoh’s divine power.

Suggested books and references:

The Book of the Dead (also known as “The Book of Coming Forth by Day”): This is a collection of magical spells and prayers intended to guide the deceased through the afterlife and protect them from dangers they might encounter.

The Pyramid Texts: These texts were inscribed on the walls of pyramids during the Old Kingdom and contain spells and incantations for the pharaoh’s safe passage to the afterlife and their transformation into a divine being.

The Coffin Texts: Written on coffins and burial equipment, the Coffin Texts served a similar purpose to the Pyramid Texts, providing magical spells and rituals to assist the deceased on their journey to the afterlife.

The Book of Amduat: This text describes the journey of the sun god Ra through the underworld during the night, providing magical protection and guidance for the deceased pharaoh’s soul.

The Lamentations of Isis and Nephthys: These texts were recited during the mummification process and funeral rituals, invoking the help of the goddesses Isis and Nephthys to mourn and protect the deceased.

And we were there

thrust against the ghosts

and vulgar madness

Silent in our hour

resigned forbidden

to our lonesome fate

Our streets were warm

drenched in blood

and shotgun shells

Eyes half empty

hope turned counter-

clockwise to the light

I missed it, the taste of cantaloupe and coffee in the morning.

The feel of whiskey as it slid past my tongue and burned my chest.

How the fog hovered over the bay like a grey cashmere blanket and the flickering feel of mist in tiny droplets on my skin.

The tingling sensation of skin and the shivers I would get from the slightest touch to the nape of my neck.

The deep breath after a long walk through the streets of the city, and the warm feel of oxygen that surged through my blood as I sat down to rest on a park bench.

All of those brilliant sensations of being alive, they were so tangible in the darkness. Like your favorite sad song coming to an end and the realization that your shirt is drenched with tears.

All the spectrums of light faded into memory as I flew away from the weight of my body. Surrounded only by the knowledge of rising upward towards something that seemed so familiar, so eternal. I no longer knew my name or the names of those I loved, only their faces, and the way they made me feel, and how devoutly and deeply I loved them.

Just a knowing and the weightless expanse of forgetting.

As it goes, I am here. Brought back to life by science and mankind’s fear of death. Wounded in the back of an ambulance, burdened by loud sirens and medics frantically screaming in my ear. That moment stands still in my memory. The look on their faces as I opened my eyes.

I smiled at them, my existence now a reflection of their accomplishments. “We thought we lost you!”

They did, they just didn’t understand, few people do.

I’ve been wandering the streets ever since.

Swallowing the world whole with my desire for all of the things I know I will miss.