Hail the Queen of Sheba
Hail the Queen of Sheba in procession!
With her caravan of goods to gift,
Solomon, her love, a gay obsession,
Bounty she presents him with no thrift…
Gold in awesome weight and valuation,
Lapis lazuli and silks of green,
Ointments to apply a strong libation,
Rubies red as blood in polished sheen.
Emerald in pointed, star-like wonder,
Sapphire in comely water hue,
Chests of topaz, hiding onyx under,
Jasper, lipstick red, included too.
Agate to impress her regal lover,
Sardius to make the breast plate stone,
Rugs for all the subjects to discover,
Pearls to please the king upon his throne.
Then her riddles to deduce his mettle,
Flowers true and fake in addled guise,
On the true he waits for bees to settle,
Laughing, he is right, to her surprise.
Seven out and nine within the premise,
Two for drink but only one to take,
Such a clue, his intellect to menace,
But, again, his wit is wide awake.
Seven for the term of menstruation,
Nine the months a babe is in the womb,
Two for drink? The bossoms of a woman,
And from one the infant can consume.
Right again she shouts in protestation!
Echoing throughout the palace room,
Cheeriness in happy exclamation,
Fondness heady as a sweet perfume.
Solomon is borne unto elation,
Pleased withal at every gifted thing,
Fashioning an awesome celebration,
I will give you everything as king!
All the peacocks, pompous feathers fanning,
All the land surrounding — to the edge!
All the seasons, all the heaven spanning,
All my wealth I reverently pledge!
Bilqis, Queen of Sheba, is ecstatic,
Praising Yahweh’s might and holy name,
King and Queen — a romance so dramatic,
Passion kindled to a blinding flame!
ADL
adamdaniel 