THE SAGE AND THE WOMAN

'TWIXT ancient Beersheba and Dan
Another such a caravan
Dazed Palestine had never seen
As that which bore Sabea's queen
Up from the fain and flaming South
To slake her yearning spirit's drouth
At wisdom's pools, with Solomon.

With gifts of scented sandalwood,
And labdanum, and cassia-bud,
With spicy spoils of Araby
And camel-loads of ivory
And heavy cloths that glanced and shone
With inwrought pearl and beryl-stone
She came, a bold Sabean girl.

And did she find him grave, or gay?
Perchance his palace breathed that day
With psalters sounding solemnly--
Or cymbals' merrier minstrelsy--
Perchance the wearied monarch heard
Some loose-tongued prophet's meddling word;--
None knows, no one--but Solomon!

She looked--with eyne wherein were blent
All ardors of the Orient;
She spake--all magics of the South