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. 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. 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, snatch by snatch, Is my praise, hissed against and marred. AZUBAH I am the queen of Amorites. My face was like a place of lights With multitudes at festival. The glory of my gracious brows Was like God's house made glorious With colours upon either wall. Between my brows and hair there was A white space like a space of glass 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 ships, Honey and wheat and myrrh in strips, White wools that shine as colour does, Soft linen dyed upon the fold, Split spice and cores of scented gold, Cedar and broken calamus. SEMIRAMIS