Song from Judith 3

BALKIS was in her marble town,   
And shadow over the world came down.   
Whiteness of walls, towers and piers,   
That all day dazzled eyes to tears,   
Turned from being white-golden flame,         
And like the deep-sea blue became.   
Balkis into her garden went;   
Her spirit was in discontent   
Like a torch in restless air.   
Joylessly she wandered there,   
And saw her city's azure white   
Lying under the great night,   
Beautiful as the memory   
Of a worshipping world would be   
In the mind of a god, in the hour   
When he must kill his outward power;   
And, coming to a pool where trees   
Grew in double greeneries,   
Saw herself, as she went by   
The water, walking beautifully,   
And saw the stars shine in the glance   
Of her eyes, and her own fair countenance   
Passing, pale and wonderful,   
Across the night that filled the pool.   
And cruel was the grief that played   
With the queen's spirit; and she said:   
'What do I here, reigning alone?   
For to be unloved is to be alone.   
There is no man in all my land   
Dare my longing understand;   
The whole folk like a peasant bows   
Lest its look should meet my brows   
And be harmed by this beauty of mine.   
I burn their brains as I were sign   
Of God's beautiful anger sent   
To master them with punishment   
Of beauty that must pour distress   
On hearts grown dark with ugliness.   
But it is I am the punisht one.   
Is there no man, is there none,
In whom my beauty will but move   
The lust of a delighted love;   
In whom some spirit of God so thrives   
That we may wed our lonely lives.   
Is there no man, is there none? '—   
She said, 'I will go to Solomon.'