I am the queen of Italy. These were the signs God set on me; A barren beauty subtle and sleek, Curled carven hair, and cheeks worn wan With fierce false lips of many a man, Large temples where the blood ran weak, A mouth athirst and amorous And hungering as the grave's mouth does That, being an-hungred, cannot speak. AMESTRIS I am the queen of Persians. My breasts were lordlier than bright swans. My body as amber fair and thin. Strange flesh was given my lips for bread, With poisonous hours my days were fed, And my feet shod with adder-skin. In Shushan toward Ecbatane I wrought my joys with tears and pain, My loves with blood and bitter sin. EPHRATH I am the queen of Rephaim. God, that some while refraineth him, Made in the end a spoil of me. My rumour was upon the world As strong sound of swoln water hurled Through porches of the straining sea. My hair was like the flag-flower, And my breasts carven goodlier Than beryl with chalcedony. PASITHEA I am the queen of Cypriotes. Mine oarsmen, labouring with brown throats, Sang of me many a tender thing. My maidens, girdled loose and braced With gold from bosom to white waist, Praised me between their wool-combing. All that praise Venus all night long With lips like speech and lids like song Praised me till song lost heart to sing. ALACIEL I am the queen Alaciel. My mouth was like that moist gold cell Whereout the thickest honey drips. Mine eyes were as a grey-green sea; The amorous blood that smote on me Smote to my feet and finger-tips. My throat was whiter than the dove, Mine eyelids as the seals of love, And as the doors of love my lips. ERIGONE I am the queen Erigone. The wild wine shed as blood on me Made my face brighter than a bride's. My large lips had the old thirst of earth, Mine arms the might of the old sea's girth Bound round the whole world's iron sides. Within mine eyes and in mine ears Were music and the wine of tears, And light, and thunder of the tides. _Et hìc exeant, et dicat Bersabe regina_; Alas, God, for thy great pity And for the might that is in thee, Behold, I woful Bersabe Cry out with stoopings of my knee And thy wrath laid and bound on me Till I may see thy love. Behold, Lord, this child is grown Within me between bone and bone To make me mother of a son, Made of my body with strong moan; There shall not be another one That shall be made hereof. KING DAVID