Sara Teasdale poem written in the 1920s. Sort of a Roaring Twenties version of "Dust in the Wind."

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I can only imagine what it was that led Sara Teasdale to write this poem, but I would guess she saw some of the artifacts uncovered by Egyptologists of that era. Can you imagine the contrast of the mummified body with the sparkling gold and the effect that might have on a child? I tried to make music with a Middle Eastern feel to it. You will have to be the judge of whether I succeeded or not.

[Poem, as written by Sara Teasdale,
lyrics slightly different.]

Egyptian kings were buried
With all their golden gear,
Cup and chest and chariot,
Couch and battle-spear.

Centuries of solid night
Pass them as an hour goes by:
When the chamber is unsealed
The gold looks gayly at the sky,

But the kingly body lies
Like a bit of blackened leather,
All the wrappings round the king
Cannot hold his bones together.

All the unguents and the spice,
All the power of pride or tears
Cannot keep the human body
past its few small years.