2. As I Rise
I wake up near dawn, for I am a young artisan, so I have
to be at the pharaoh’s tomb early. I don’t mind being an
artisan because I make good pay, and I don’t have the
responsibilities of a noble. Before I leave I eat a hardy
breakfast of figs, dates, bread, butter, and a tall glass of
milk to quench my thirst. I then get dressed in my cloth
head dress and my knee length loin cloth to shade me from
the torrid sun. I then walk to work.
3. Work
As I arrive at the site of the great pharaoh Angelo’s tomb, I see the
other workers have already begun to work. The watchmen come to me.
They say that I am late, and that I will have to work late tonight, and
be docked pay. My job there is to create the sarcophagus for the
pharaoh. Every day at work I chip away, little by little at the stone to
form the cast. When I am finished, I will melt the gold over the stone,
and etch the reds, browns, and blacks. Then I gather with the other
workers for lunch; bread and fish harvested near the
Nile. I wish that I wasn’t being punished for being
late.
4. Evening
I walk home on my callused feet, for I do not have the
money for a litter to be carried on. By the time I arrive
home, dinner is cold. On the table sits a bowl of roasted
meats, lentils, and carrots. After I finish my filling meal, I
sit down with a glass of beer to wind down. “Abb, will
you play senit with me?”
“No Aziza, not tonight.”
“Yalla!”
“No!”
5. Gods
Before I close my eyes for slumber, I pray to Isis. I pray
that my daughter, Aziza, will have a full and plenty life
for eternity, that she may one day overthrow pharaoh
Angelo, and that I will have enough money to be
embalmed and mummified. Then I lie down on my reed
mat, and shut my eyes till dawn.
6.
Mashi- o.k.
Yalla!- come on!
Leh la’- why not
Abb- father
Umm- mother
Glossary
7. Bibliography
"Egyptian Baby Names | Meanings and Origins." BabyZone. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Aug. 2014.
"Ancient Egypt for Kids." Ancient Egypt for Kids. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Aug. 2014.
PBS. PBS, n.d. Web. 28 Aug. 2014.
"Ancient Egypt." - Middle School History for Kids. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Aug. 2014.
"Isis." - Egyptian Goddess. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Aug. 2014
