Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, IN SHUSHAN, by E. YANCEY COHEN


Poetry Explorer

Classic and Contemporary Poetry

IN SHUSHAN, by                    
First Line: O'er lordly shushan's terrac'd walls
Last Line: "of the deep-bosom'd, endless blue!"
Subject(s): Courts & Courtiers; Israel; Jews; Love; Royal Court Life; Royalty; Kings; Queens; Judaism


I

O'ER lordly Shushan's terrac'd walls
The starry cloak of midnight falls,
And naught doth break the solemn spell
Save the soft note of Philomel,
Or some faint fountain's silvery tongue
Lulling the gardens with its song.
The yellow moon doth rule the sky
And gild the dark-blue dome on high,
And o'er the marble stairways cold
A robe of tissue, woof'd with gold,
Doth seem to cling, a garment rare
Enmantling shoulders lustrous fair!
The King doth wassail hold to-night—
For him the hours have pinions light;

II

The gladding bounty of the vine
He pledges in the ruddy wine,
And rears his dripping goblet high
To Love and Friendship's unity.
His arm encircling Haman's neck,
He views with many a nod and beck
O'er purple rugs the dancers fly
In mazy rounds of revelry.
Then sweetest minstrels tune their song,
And the gold lamps with faltering ray
In lovelier visions fade away,
As blessed legions float along
Of gods and heroes who began
The wars of Darkness and of Light,
Of dew-ey'd Morn and sullen Night,
Of Ormuzd fair and Ahriman.

III

A distant palace casement by
Queen Esther pauses wearily,
And gazes toward the shadowy fields
Of silent orbs, where clustering shields
Gleam faint—Heaven's warriors' loosen'd mail
By camp fires glinting far and pale.
Sweetly the rose-tint night-wind sues
To know her secret, as it woos
With kisses passion-warm and quick
The languish'd lilies of her cheek.
Ah, many fair flowers on earth there be,
But never a flower so fair as she!
And thus upon the midnight air
Wing'd skyward goes her hallow'd prayer;
"Sweet Lord of Heaven! who aye hast shown
Thy people grace, and from Thy throne,
Encircled with angelic throngs,
Hast heard their prayers and healed their wrongs,

IV

Great God of Israel's love and mine,
When on the morrow 'fore the King,
I dare my people's suit to bring
Touch thou my lips with power divine;
O make my presence balmy-sweet,
That from his purpl'd, royal seat,
The king shall smile and in his grace
Undo the sorrows of my race.
Grant, Lord! that like yon moon serene
That sits enthron'd twixt earth and sky,
And 'neath her sapphire canopy
Doth cheer the night, a blessed queen,
I, too, may be twixt those who haste
To bring my people to the dust
And Thee, sweet Heaven, with all thy host,
A Queen as bright and calm and chaste,
As peerless, star-soul'd and as true,
As yon fair journeyer in the waste
Of the deep-bosom'd, endless blue!"





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