Before Gilgamesh

The dire shortage of verbs
Haunts the story inscribed
On the stela. Not much

Happened, was the problem.
The old man with the beard
Had a taller daughter.

Someone thought they were worth
Carved commemoration,
But, as has been noted,

They hadn’t done a lot.
Maybe that was their worth—
Their key to the story

Of all other stories—
Actions aren’t meaningful,
Only your names may be.