“After these things, when the wrath of King Ahasuerus was appeased, he remembered Vashti.”—Book of Esther ii. I.
I.
Is this all the love that he bore me, my husband, to publish my face
To the nobles of Media and Persia, whose hearts are besotted and base?
Did he think me a slave, me, Vashti, the Beautiful,[A] me, Queen of Queens,
To summon me thus for a show to the midst of his bacchanal scenes?
[A] Vashti means “Beautiful Woman;” Esther means “A Star.”
II.
I stand like an image of brass, I, Vashti, in sight of such men!
No, sooner, a thousand times sooner, the mouth of the lioness’ den,
When she’s fiercest with hunger and love for the hungry young lions that tear
Her breasts with sharp, innocent teeth, I would enter, aye, sooner than there!
III.
Did he love me, or is he, too, though the King, but a brute like the rest?
I have seen him in wine, and I fancied ’twas then that he loved me the best;
Though I think I would rather have one sweet, passionate word from the heart
Than a year of caresses that may with the wine that creates them depart.
IV.
But ever before, in his wine, towards me he shewed honour and grace,—
He was King, I was Queen, and those nobles he made them remember their place;
But now all is changed: I am vile, they are honoured, they push me aside,—
A butt for Memucan, and Shethar, and Meres, gone mad in their pride!