quest for immortality

when Gilgamesh ripped out Huwawa's tongue
as if he were cleaning a twitching fish
the viscera came out from gorge to bung
and he was free to fell the tree he wished
the Bull of Heaven came out even worse
his head hangs as a trophy on the gate
but that adventure incurred the gods' curse
and Enkidu succumbed to mortals' fate
bereft of love, our hero went on quest
as if a drug could take away Death's sting
not grasping that a good name is what's best 
and those shine bright of whom the poets sing
a subtle serpent stole his precious weed
but he lives on while one still sings his deeds