Page:Poems and ballads (IA poemsballads00swinrich).pdf/279

 All that were fair and foul ye be, Come hither; it am I. Et hìc omnes cantabunt.

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.

I am the queen Aholibah. My lips kissed dumb the word of Ah Sighed on strange lips grown sick thereby. God 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 lust towards the kings that came With horsemen riding royally.

I am the queen of Ethiope.