In a wall relief at the shrine of Hathor,
goddess of love and joy, Thutmose III,
Napoleon of Egypt, conqueror of Syria
holds a ball in one hand and in the other
a stick, “striking the ball for Hathor, foremost
in Thebes.” Seker-hemat, batting the ball.
The king’s priest plays the field, “catching it for him
by the servants of the gods,” ritual
for renewal and a relief to learn
that it was nothing new under the sun
when you buried your father with ball and glove.
— J. L. Wall
YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE
Tucker and the Right
Something like a civil war is unfolding within the American conservative movement. It is not merely a…
Just Stop It
Earlier this summer, Egypt’s Ministry of Religious Endowments launched a new campaign. It is entitled “Correct Your…
What Does “Postliberalism” Mean?
Many regard “postliberalism” as a political program. In 1993, when the tide of globalized liberalism was at…
