Page:Poems and ballads (IA poemsballads00swinrich).pdf/332

 Because thy face was like the face Of a clean maiden that smells sweet, Because thy gait was as the pace Of one that opens not her feet And is not heard within the street—

Even he, O thou Aholibah, Made separate from thy desire, Shall cut thy nose and ears away And bruise thee for thy body’s hire And burn the residue with fire.

Then shall the heathen people say, The multitude being at ease; Lo, this is that Aholibah Whose name was blown among strange seas, Grown old with soft adulteries.

Also her bed was made of green, Her windows beautiful for glass That she had made her bed between: Yea, for pure lust her body was Made like white summer-coloured grass.

Her raiment was a strong man’s spoil; Upon a table by a bed She set mine incense and mine oil To be the beauty of her head In chambers walled about with red.