Poems & Ballads Volume I Part 27

SECUNDUS MILES

How! old thief, thy wits are lame; To clip such it is no shame; I rede you in the devil's name, Ye come not here to make men game; By Termagaunt that maketh grame, I shall to-bete thine head.

_Hc Diabolus capiat eum._ This knave hath sharp fingers, perfay; Mahound you thank and keep alway, And give you good knees to pray; What man hath no l.u.s.t to play, The devil wring his ears, I say; There is no more but wellaway, For now am I dead.

KING DAVID

Certes his mouth is wried and black, Full little pence be in his sack; This devil hath him by the back, It is no boot to lie.

NATHAN

Sitteth now still and learn of me; A little while and ye shall see The face of G.o.d's strength presently.

All queens made as this Bersabe, All that were fair and foul ye be, Come hither; it am I.

_Et hc omnes cantabunt._

HERODIAS

I am the queen Herodias.

This headband of my temples was King Herod's gold band woven me.

This broken dry staff in my hand Was the queen's staff of a great land Betwixen Perse and Samarie.

For that one dancing of my feet, The fire is come in my green wheat, From one sea to the other sea.

AHOLIBAH

I am the queen Aholibah.

My lips kissed dumb the word of _Ah_ Sighed on strange lips grown sick thereby.

G.o.d wrought to me my royal bed; The inner work thereof was red, The outer work was ivory.

My mouth's heat was the heat of flame For l.u.s.t towards the kings that came With hors.e.m.e.n riding royally.

CLEOPATRA

I am the queen of Ethiope.

Love bade my kissing eyelids ope That men beholding might praise love.

My hair was wonderful and curled; My lips held fast the mouth o' the world To spoil the strength and speech thereof.

The latter triumph in my breath Bowed down the beaten brows of death, Ashamed they had not wrath enough.

ABIHAIL

I am the queen of Tyrians.

My hair was glorious for twelve spans, That dried to loose dust afterward.

My stature was a strong man's length: My neck was like a place of strength Built with white walls, even and hard, Like the first noise of rain leaves catch One from another, s.n.a.t.c.h by s.n.a.t.c.h, Is my praise, hissed against and marred.

AZUBAH

I am the queen of Amorites.

My face was like a place of lights With mult.i.tudes at festival.

The glory of my gracious brows Was like G.o.d's house made glorious With colours upon either wall.

Between my brows and hair there was A white s.p.a.ce like a s.p.a.ce of gla.s.s With golden candles over all.

AHOLAH

I am the queen of Amalek.

There was no tender touch or fleck To spoil my body or bared feet.

My words were soft like dulcimers, And the first sweet of grape-flowers Made each side of my bosom sweet.

My raiment was as tender fruit Whose rind smells sweet of spice-tree root, Bruised balm-blossom and budded wheat.

AHINOAM

I am the queen Ahinoam.

Like the throat of a soft slain lamb Was my throat, softer veined than his: My lips were as two grapes the sun Lays his whole weight of heat upon Like a mouth heavy with a kiss: My hair's pure purple a wrought fleece, My temples therein as a piece Of a pomegranate's cleaving is.

ATARAH

I am the queen Sidonian.

My face made faint the face of man, And strength was bound between my brows Spikenard was hidden in my s.h.i.+ps, Honey and wheat and myrrh in strips, White wools that s.h.i.+ne as colour does, Soft linen dyed upon the fold, Split spice and cores of scented gold, Cedar and broken calamus.

SEMIRAMIS

I am the queen Semiramis.

The whole world and the sea that is In fas.h.i.+on like a chrysopras, The noise of all men labouring, The priest's mouth tired through thanksgiving, The sound of love in the blood's pause, The strength of love in the blood's beat, All these were cast beneath my feet And all found lesser than I was.

HESIONE

I am the queen Hesione.

The seasons that increased in me Made my face fairer than all men's.

I had the summer in my hair; And all the pale gold autumn air Was as the habit of my sense.

My body was as fire that shone; G.o.d's beauty that makes all things one Was one among my handmaidens.

CHRYSOTHEMIS

I am the queen of Samothrace.

G.o.d, making roses, made my face As a rose filled up full with red.

My prows made sharp the straitened seas From Pontus to that Chersonese Whereon the ebbed Asian stream is shed.

My hair was as sweet scent that drips; Love's breath begun about my lips Kindled the lips of people dead.