Fragment 2 - The Riddle Game

Marshlands of Kuwait, 21/09/2007

Domino writes...

The mists in the marshlands of Kuwait have a distant astral presence of the Sirrush (the serpent of the Ishtar Gate). I talked to one, but it would only hear me when I spoke in riddles. The more we spoke to it the closer it got. Here's the riddle game:

Edit

Riddle Game

Domino

I opened the riddling, welcoming the serpent.

I have plenty of backbone,
but lack a good leg,
I peel layers like onions,
but still remain whole,
I can be long,
like a flagpole,
yet fit in a hole

Sirrush

To which he alludingly replied,

As long as the hole is black

Domino

What lies behind stars,
under hills and empty holes it fills?

Sirrush

Not a reason but a rhyme and a colour out of time.

Domino

But how can this be?
This thing all things devours,
Birds, beasts, trees, flowers.

Sirrush

It has no things where it abides,
except for hidden fauna.
It has no top, no bottom, no left nor right,
except for those that keep to corners.

Domino

It was getting pretty close at this point and I faultered,

Tell me more.

Sirrush

It has a face of more than 3
and a number close to e.
Where it sits are many ways
and an unexpected end of days.

It was so close at that point that I had to drop out of the game or be eaten.