Dig, Students, Dig!

Excavating at Kamiltepe, Azerbaijan, 2010

The laser falls on painted walls
 To reconstruct their ancient glory:

The corer shakes atop the lakes,

Soon will the pollen tell its story.

Dig, students, dig, set the clods of dirt flying,

Dig, students; listen, echoes, sighing, sighing, sighing.

Hark, over here! What crisp and clear,

Stratigraphy, so keep on going!
O sweet, some char, core with flake scar

And cattle horn! Keep this trench growing.

Dig, students, dig, bring to light what’s underlying,

Dig, one more context, hear the ancient past replying.

Excavating at Sheik e-Abad, Iran, 2008

O see, revealed, a surface sealed,

Layers of time uncovered hither:

The memories roll from soul to soul,

As echoes from material whisper.

Dig, archaeologists, set the total station scanning,

And answer, echoes of the past, sighing, sighing, sighing.