Country Song
He made his way to the border
In the shadow under the trees
Down by a stream in a hollow
Turn your head feel the breeze
And the red Queen was waiting for the news
For the white King to move
And the balance hung upon the head of one who tried
To stay within the shadows
And keep his undercover secret tight
They let him in by a backway
Into a chamber reserved for the Queen
She took the note that he gave her
Opened it slowly and started to read
Run to the treasury and bring me back some gold
Give it to the pawn who came, she cried
He says the white King thinks the game of chess is wrong
And all the courtiers crowded her
and this is what she told the gathered round
Go to the store by the dungeon
Take all the red paint take all the white
Make up a newborn colour
Cover your neighbor we'll be all right
There will be no game today, she cried across the board
Everyday will be a holiday
And all the pieces cheered as tidings spread abroad
And the Pink Queen sat
and smiled at the cat who smiled back
song performed by by Pink Floyd
Submitted by Lucian Velea
Vote! | Copy!
Related quotes
Queen of tango
I swap ten of my stories for one letter from you.
Letter and gingerbread heart with a mirror in it.
I want to do the tango, I'm tired of chess.
We can: Hidalgo, guitar and Argentina are close
for the souls that fly across the ocean.
Chess is better: a game in which the queen checkmates the king.
But the queen wants to dance, not play.
Make a move and dance, and I'm going to watch.
The queen goes to the dance floor with a pawn.
Here is my castle shooting at your pawn.
The pawn falls; the queen is going for a new one.
The king resigns: Do not go for a new pawn, we will do the tango.
Renku poetry: Tanja Bulovic Johannesburg
Zoran Jankovic Beograd
poem by Jankovic Zoran
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
D4 Or E4, That Is The Question
He sits across from me over a board
With checkered squares. He is white; I am black.
I need a win, him a draw. Can’t afford
To play prophylactically. Attack
Is my only chance to win this tourney.
Which leaves me with only one opening:
The Sicilian*. I only hope that he
Will play a hackneyed first move like a king
Pawn center thrust. Queen pawn creates problems
And he doesn’t need problems at this time.
I feel both moves favor me. It depends.
Playing queen pawn I think would undermine
His chances for a draw but then again
The king pawn move allows the Sicilian.
* 1. e4....c5
poem by Albert Ahearn
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
Life is Chess
Lets play a game of chess
A game that could bring about stress
A game that could also depress
If you strive to win without success
Chess is life Kasporov said
Thats what l thought off when l went to bed
Its funny you have a king and a queen
That represents a whole lot of things
Marriage, Politics, love and dont forget natures law
While the bishop goes with religion
The knights go to war to represent the nation
And the pawns march on like soldiers without a choice
But to defend our lives
The castle a wall around our thoughts
A protector for what our identity is worth
Who is behind the strategy
Does the player represent leadership
Are the pieces part of the world
If l draw a game what do l define myself
And if l win am l the supreme
Or is this thought merely too extreme
To play chess better
One has to constantly work harder
Recently l have acquired a bag of tricks
Which comes with experience
And while l play
I sometimes pray for luck
Which sometimes works
Such is the representation of real life
A queen so strong is sometimes sacrificed
While a king with only one move to his name
Is always the last to stay in the game
Thats goes to show that life is unfair
With all the pain and suffering that women bear
Life is Chess
I have to confess
© Sylvia Chidi- 17 October 2005
poem by Sylvia Chidi
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
Shaky Are the Checkers
Shaky are the checkers,
Opponents...
In a game of chess!
How can a rook,
Be mistaken for a bishop?
A strategy 'appearing' to be weak...
As the knight leaps,
To retrieve the pawn.
And put the queen in check!
Yet,
The king of the game...
Has not fallen to sleep.
His eyes are wide open...
Knowing wherever he goes,
Not protecting the queen's steps...
Would certainly meet with defeat!
'Checkmate!
That's game.
While you were looking at my bishop...
You placed your queen in my rook's lane! '
~That's 'not' a checkmate!
You just outplayed me,
By using a strategy that was lame.~
'But 'who' won?
That's all that was needed to be done.
You ready for another lesson?
This time I'll use an easier plan,
That wont leave you humiliated or keep you guessing.
Set 'em up! '
poem by Lawrence S. Pertillar
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
A Love Story(The King And I)
Once in time, there lived a king
Who lives still, nor ever could die
Who lived neither in space nor time
But made them both alike
For his queen to breathe and move
While he watched from not so far a distance
As she danced and played, and laughed and ached
He loved her so, and longed to show her so
Born by love, she sought for love
In all the wrong places and all the wrong people
While all the while the love she sought
Was in her, was by her, was for her, and with her
The time had come for her to know
The one who indeed loved her so
'I am God', he said, I love you so
And this I did, and that I did, to show you so
I'd love for you to love me too and show me so
Let me in, and make me your king or something in between
She took him in, and became his queen
And him her king and so much more
He fought for her, the apple of his eye
The beauty from his ashes
There lied a problem, he knew her number
The number of her days
He unbound by time, loved one bound in time
To live forever, he died to save her
She cried and cried, for he was gone away
I'm building our kingdom, he said in a letter
I'll be back so soon, I miss you too
A day to her, a thousand years to him
She waited and waited, and then became like knaves
She said these words when are days were made:
To my darling, my love, my king
You walked with me, you talked with me
Now I'm here, so far from you
My conscience is fading
With evil prevailing
The thoughts that walk the streets of my mind
Are far from good, my heart far from home
Years unending, I did my will
And chased the thrills of my will
Despair revealed his face in mine
As all I got was pain and shame
I could apologize for falling short today
And still fall short tomorrow
I am frail...I am human
But in all my humanity
I have come to love your divinity
In the day I breathe my last
May I see your face
And rest forever in your arms
The King smiled and thought to himself
In all my divinity, I have come to love your humanity
Rest in peace my child, my love, my queen.
poem by Jenim Dibie
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
Snow-White (Part 1)
Hers were the beautiful blue eyes and the black long hair,
She watched her blood dropp freezing to burn in the air.
Her pale lips were keeping the mark of her love's glow,
She wanted a child having the skin as white as the snow,
The hair as black as ebony and the lips as red as the blood.
That red on that white looked as beautiful as a flower bud.
She was sewing and watching the ebony of her window's frame.
An angel became visible in the air to tell her the child's name.
''Light up this love, my Lord, and give me this child of light
Unbearable is this pain of mine, light up my soul and my sight.''
Coming up the stairs, the king saw this and he told his queen,
'This white angel is the most beautiful creature I've ever seen! ''
The queen's heart used to be like a little book being unread,
But in front of her husband, it has become an open thread.
He tenderly kissed her, ''Your broken heart is no longer dead,
Because for Snow White on the snow your secret has bled.''
When she gave birth to her child, the sun rose to be so bright
And everything in the castle could be seen in the holy light,
But when the king came to see them, he heard only the sighs.
When he saw his dead queen, sad tears flooded his black eyes.
While he was living with his child being a lonely sad father,
The king thought to bring to little Snow White a new mother.
''Light up this life, my Lord, because I have only fears and sighs,
Change my fate, because I need a new morn in my sad eyes! ''
He married again, but the queen's heart was mercilessly beating.
She was like a dangerous snake and poisoned was her greeting.
Her sarcastic lips were always keeping the mark of her hatred,
Her powers were hidden, because for her the devil was sacred.
She kept her frozen air, although the snow was melting in Spring,
Her words could remain suspended in the air to freeze everything.
‘'Mirror, dear Mirror on the wall, who in this land is fairest of all?
‘'You, my queen, are fairest of all'', echoed the mirror in the hall.
The Snow White grew up becoming more beautiful than the queen,
The king told her, 'You're the most beautiful child I have ever seen! ''
When the mirror told the queen, ‘'You, my queen, are fair; it is true.
She added, ''Little Snow-White is still a thousand times fairer than you.''
The king started seriously to think of the passion they had known
‘Cause the queen's self-satisfaction and insensibility have grown.
He realized that it's a wretchedness to continue sharing their bed.
He wanted to open a dialog with her, but the words left all unsaid.
poem by Marieta Maglas
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
The Rose Fairy
When God created the very first rose,
All the forest fairies were thrilled!
They formed a queue to line up for a smell,
Each swooning at its delightful fragrance.
The king of the fairies called them to his throne,
Reminding them that each flower is blessed,
With each one appointed its own fairy...
But who could they choose for the rose! ?
All the fairies not yet appointed flew near,
Each pointing to herself as the right choice!
Then the queen of the fairies calmed them down,
'Settle down, impetuous ones! ' she said...
So all the female fairies flapped their wings no more,
Settling once again upon the ground...
'Come, come! ' she scolded! 'None of you will do! '
The fairies' faces went blood red with shame!
The king looked at them in turn, loving them all.
Such enthusiasm, such devotion, but who would do?
The queen pointed directly to the king himself!
'You, Your Majesty, you must be the rose fairy! '
'What! ? ' remarked the king! 'That's unheard of! '
She held his hand with love and told him,
'There's no-one greater than you for this rose! '
The fairies leapt with joy! Flying here and there!
Doing athletics flips and backward somersaults!
When the king saw the joy of all the fairies, he smiled.
He was humbled by this wondrous spectacle
And he stood up, wiped away a tiny tear and told them,
'Never has a king been so blessed as I feel today! '
And so it was that the rose fairy was announced.
And God looked down upon the fairies in the forest
And smiled... and smiled... and smiled...
Denis Martindale, copyright, June 2012.
poem by Denis Martindale
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
Fool’s mate
(1. f3...e5 2.g4...h4 mate!)
Unwise for White to push the pawn to three;
Exposing royalty to Black’s attack.
With pawn at Bishop three, one must agree
f3 was not the move to play on Black.
The Black opponent counters with e5
A sure maneuver yielding enterprise.
His queen has open space and hopes to strive
To leave her home and head for White’s demise.
The fool's deficient understanding, moves
His pawn obliviously (seals his fate)
To square g4. A move I disapprove
Of. Black has won the game, h4! The mate!
The lesson learned from this experience
Don’t play a fool with inexperience.
poem by Albert Ahearn
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
Queen
Head strong and steadfast junkies
All barter for the clean
They all wait in their plastic lines
To find what color means
Cause they all wanna be queen
And you do know what I mean
Cause they all wanna be queen
And you do know what I mean
I spoke to a girl by the backdoor
She said she'd do anything just to meet you
You know I've seen that smile before
Just in time for a knee to hit the ground
Little girls
Dressed up like French whores
In velvet paintings
Wide eyed
Long nails
They all wanna live the fairy tale
(Chorus)
Did they tear you all up inside
Did they take away your pride
and she cried herself to sleep that night
Cause they all wanna be queen
And you do know what I mean
Cause they all wanna be queen
And you do And you do And you do
know what I mean
Queen wanna be queen
Queen wanna be queen
Queen wanna be queen
Queen wanna be queen
song performed by by Tonic from Sugar
Submitted by Lucian Velea
Vote! | Copy!
Still Smiling........
Smiled When Mother Took Me Into Her Arms For The First Time,
Smiled When Saw World Outside The Hospital For The First Time,
Smiled Whenever Went To School,
Smiled Even Being Laughed At....
And Called A Fool....
Smiled When Stood First In The Class,
Smiled When I Wasn't Misunderstood..... At Last!
Smiled When My Poem Was Said Wow!
Smiled When Realised That Only Day Is Today....
And Time Is Now......
Smiled When Got My 'True' Love,
Smiled As I Always Felt We Are Two Doves,
Smiled Even When Came To Know He's Not Mine,
Smiled Even When He Married My Friend.....
And Raised A Toast Of Wine,
Smiled Even When Lost Every Hope,
Smiled Even When Wasn't Able To Cope,
Smiled Even When Knew My End Is Near,
Smiled And Enjoyed Cutting My Nerve.......
No Fear...............
Smiled At Every Moment Of My Life,
Whenever, Wherever And Never Cried.............
But Now, I'm Lying Under A White Cover,
Father Putting Me On Fire.........
With No Blessings Left To Shower.....
People Around Have Nothing To Do With My Death
But Are Crying.........
And I'm............
Still Smiling.................................
poem by Apurva Jain
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
sex ***** CHESS MONARCHY, SEDUCING THE QUEEN
Come play with me
My black horse
ready to abduct the
caucasian queen
as I double-tapped with
the totalitarian king
the unordained bishop
is cornered
meditating for a miraculous
pawn sacramental jihad
I jump thru horse riding
with my mighty armored knight
to capture the virgin queen
in ancient board monarch
out of illicit desire to own
the queen for my life
my punched clock eats much of my time
in too much obssession
polygamous thinking against
the rival inutile nominal king
i lost the fight
thanks for losing such game
this poem means my winning prize
poem by Rommel Mark Dominguez Marchan
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
The King & Queen Of America
Well c'mon darlin'
The stars are burning bright
C'mon now darlin'
Our lick is good tonight -
'cause we're the all time winners
In the all time loser's game
Yea we're the all time winners
And here we go again
The king & queen of america...
Yea it's the king of nothing
And the queen of rage
With a pile of confusion
Upon a glittering stage
You know we never did anything
To make ourselves feel proud
You know we never did anything
So let's play it loud
Let's hear it for the -
King & queen of america...
So c'mon darlin'
There's a big moon in the sky -
We're gonna build
A little satellite -
We're gonna make it fly...
We're gonna send it up to heaven
All the way up to the stars
And all of them aliens
Are gonna find out
Who we are -
We're talkin' 'bout the
King & queen of america
song performed by by Eurythmics
Submitted by Lucian Velea
Vote! | Copy!
Tales Of A Wayside Inn : Part 1. The Musician's Tale; The Saga of King Olaf IV. -- Queen Sigrid The Haughty
Queen Sigrid the Haughty sat proud and aloft
In her chamber, that looked over meadow and croft.
Heart's dearest,
Why dost thou sorrow so?
The floor with tassels of fir was besprent,
Filling the room with their fragrant scent.
She heard the birds sing, she saw the sun shine,
The air of summer was sweeter than wine.
Like a sword without scabbard the bright river lay
Between her own kingdom and Norroway.
But Olaf the King had sued for her hand,
The sword would be sheathed, the river be spanned.
Her maidens were seated around her knee,
Working bright figures in tapestry.
And one was singing the ancient rune
Of Brynhilda's love and the wrath of Gudrun.
And through it, and round it, and over it all
Sounded incessant the waterfall.
The Queen in her hand held a ring of gold,
From the door of Ladé's Temple old.
King Olaf had sent her this wedding gift,
But her thoughts as arrows were keen and swift.
She had given the ring to her goldsmiths twain,
Who smiled, as they handed it back again.
And Sigrid the Queen, in her haughty way,
Said, 'Why do you smile, my goldsmiths, say?'
And they answered: 'O Queen! if the truth must be told,
The ring is of copper, and not of gold!'
The lightning flashed o'er her forehead and cheek,
She only murmured, she did not speak:
'If in his gifts he can faithless be,
There will be no gold in his love to me.'
A footstep was heard on the outer stair,
And in strode King Olaf with royal air.
He kissed the Queen's hand, and he whispered of love,
And swore to be true as the stars are above.
But she smiled with contempt as she answered: 'O King,
Will you swear it, as Odin once swore, on the ring?'
And the King: 'O speak not of Odin to me,
The wife of King Olaf a Christian must be.'
Looking straight at the King, with her level brows,
She said, 'I keep true to my faith and my vows.'
Then the face of King Olaf was darkened with gloom,
He rose in his anger and strode through the room.
'Why, then, should I care to have thee?' he said,--
'A faded old woman, a heathenish jade!
His zeal was stronger than fear or love,
And he struck the Queen in the face with his glove.
Then forth from the chamber in anger he fled,
And the wooden stairway shook with his tread.
Queen Sigrid the Haughty said under her breath,
'This insult, King Olaf, shall be thy death!'
Heart's dearest,
Why dost thou sorrow so?
poem by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
Lullaby-Little Little Let Sleep Leap
Lullaby-Little Little Let Sleep Leap
Let sleep leap little little,
Let sleep leap brittle brittle.
Little little let sleep leap,
Light of candle shinning deep.
Let not fight dear for mere pillow,
“Look I sing a lullaby then you follow”.
Lauded Dadi patting hands on Pomu’s head.
Long bell rang ten Dadi quickly arranged the bed.
Little little let sleep leap,
A King was there who liked sleep.
At ten even he was lost in his dream.
Was so fond of milk, butter and ice cream.
Always was angry on Queen for breaking sleep;
Who smiled giggled and mimicked in his fairy trip.
Lttle little let sleep leap,
Once the Queen played a trick.
Snored so loud as his belly dance.
She sneaked to bath room mild tense.
Before He rises She must finish her job;
Neither Her idea would become a big flop.
Little little let sleep leap,
Fetch a mug of water to drip.
King then frowned getting soaked;
Shouted so loud feeling the chilly red.
“How dare you throw? ” He spitted venom.
Poor Queen fearful stood by him silent and dumb.
Lttle little let sleep leap,
She saw a lizard on roof top;
Pointed at the sinner in tearful eye.
The King then told her no need to cry.
Scared Queen then told him to take a bath.
The King was cleaned bowled by his own wrath.
Little little let sleep leap,
Let Bless my child as the night dip!
Last Queen then smiled at mighty King.
Long he leapt to the tub for mere silly thing.
Lazy was King indeed really a very bad habit;
Lay my gold-son Pomu is neither King nor the rabbit.
Let sleep leap little little
Let sleep leap brittle brittle
Tuna Biswal
INDIA
poem by Tuna Biswal
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
Only A Pawn In Their Game
A bullet from the back of a bush took medgar evers blood.
A finger fired the trigger to his name.
A handle hid out in the dark
A hand set the spark
Two eyes took the aim
Behind a mans brain
But he cant be blamed
Hes only a pawn in their game.
A south politician preaches to the poor white man,
You got more than the blacks, dont complain.
Youre better than them, you been born with white skin, they explain.
And the negros name
Is used it is plain
For the politicians gain
As he rises to fame
And the poor white remains
On the caboose of the train
But it aint him to blame
Hes only a pawn in their game.
The deputy sheriffs, the soldiers, the governors get paid,
And the marshals and cops get the same,
But the poor white mans used in the hands of them all like a tool.
Hes taught in his school
From the start by the rule
That the laws are with him
To protect his white skin
To keep up his hate
So he never thinks straight
bout the shape that hes in
But it aint him to blame
Hes only a pawn in their game.
From the poverty shacks, he looks from the cracks to the tracks,
And the hoof beats pound in his brain.
And hes taught how to walk in a pack
Shoot in the back
With his fist in a clinch
To hang and to lynch
To hide neath the hood
To kill with no pain
Like a dog on a chain
He aint got no name
But it aint him to blame
Hes only a pawn in their game.
Today, medgar evers was buried from the bullet he caught.
They lowered him down as a king.
But when the shadowy sun sets on the one
That fired the gun
Hell see by his grave
On the stone that remains
Carved next to his name
His epitaph plain:
Only a pawn in their game.
song performed by by Bob Dylan
Submitted by Lucian Velea
Vote! | Copy!
Snow-White (Part 6)
He took her in his arms wanting to kiss her for the last time and to kill himself,
Someone told him to hit her in the back with his hand, it was a voice of an elf.
That piece of apple came out of her throat and Snow-White came back to life.
The prince held her again in his arms and couldn't stop kissing his future wife.
The wedding was set for the next day, and her mother was invited as well.
She told the king ''This evening we go to the wedding and I feel like hell! ''
‘'Mirror, on the wall, who in this land is fairest of all? '' Queen wanted to know.
‘'You, my queen, are fair; it is true, '' replied the bad mirror through its glow.
It closed its eyes saying, ''The young queen is a thousand times fairer than you! ''
She was so o'ertaken that she couldn't speak, she saw at least that her eyes are blue.
So jealous she was thinking of the young queen that she dressed herself in black,
But no one noticed any difference and she saw in her mirror the deadly crack.
She has quickened her heart with a cup of hate and a very sarcastic remark,
''All white is not always white due to its mask, when white keeps it dark''.
They put a pair of iron shoes into the fire and she had to put them on and dance,
She couldn't stop until she danced her death and the end of her Gothic romance.
Against the black of the winter snow, the white is still melting in Spring.
A blue sky above us may defy all odds, when its silence may precisely sting.
Against the white of the moonlight glow, the black may have its own sense,
But in front of the power and the money's show, love is always a false pretense.
poem by Marieta Maglas
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
My man he cried today...
My man he cried today…
He looked at me all filled with fear
For he knew not what he would hear
Because believe me now when I say
My man he cried today
His face it bled from the from the beauty of his soul
This crystal clear waterfall it poured out of control
So believe me now when I say
My man he cried today
This emotion to him felt wrong
As it was forbidden for so long
But believe me now when I say
My man he cried today
He covered himself with his hands so strong
And repeatedly told me by me he’ll never do wrong
Down to the ground he knelt on one knee
And hailed me like a queen for all to see
For believe me when I say
My man he cried today
This passion he felt burning
Was released like the glory of morning
The love he felt was strong indeed
And I knew a man like him surely a rare breed
And believe me now what I say
My man he cried today
So I knelt down besides him and let him take me all in
For from here on now our lives shall begin
My soul is his now
And to my king I bow
And again I say my man he cried today
Our love so pure
All it shall cure
My man he cried
Lips upon lips
Heart upon heart
My man he cried
So I looked up filled with glee
As this man cried with me
And when I tell you this, you must believe
This man I will never leave
And now you know why when I say my man and I we cried today!
Lerato Ladyfair Shuping
poem by Lerato Shuping
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
The King Queen Of America
Well cmon darlin
The stars are burning bright
Cmon now darlin
Our lick is good tonight -
cause were the all time winners
In the all time losers game
Yea were the all time winners
And here we go again
The king & queen of america...
Yea its the king of nothing
And the queen of rage
With a pile of confusion
Upon a glittering stage
You know we never did anything
To make ourselves feel proud
You know we never did anything
So lets play it loud
Lets hear it for the -
King & queen of america...
So cmon darlin
Theres a big moon in the sky -
Were gonna build
A little satellite -
Were gonna make it fly...
Were gonna send it up to heaven
All the way up to the stars
And all of them aliens
Are gonna find out
Who we are -
Were talkin bout the
King & queen of america
song performed by by Eurythmics
Submitted by Lucian Velea
Vote! | Copy!
King Of The Night Time World
Ken fowley, michael anthony, paul stanley, bob ezrin
Its so sad, livin at home
Far from the city and the midnight fun
Its so bad, goin to school
So far from me and the dirty things that we do
Im the king of the night time world
And youre my headlight queen
Im the king of the night time world
Come live your secret dream
Its so fine, lovin with ease
Far from the house and the family fights
Its so fine, bein with you
Bein with me makes everything alright
Im the king of the night time world
And youre my headlight queen
Im the king of the night time world
Come live your secret dream, alright
Its so sad, youre not content
Far from the music and the neon glow
Aint you glad we got the time
Far from our folks, theyll never ever know
Im the king of the night time world
And youre my headlight queen
Im the king of the night time world
Come live your secret dream
Im the king, Im the king, Im the king, Im the king
Im the king, Im the king, Im the king, Im the king
Im the king of the night time world
And youre my headlight queen
Im the king of the night time world
Come live your secret dream
Im the king of the night time world
And youre my headlight queen
Im the king of the night time world
Come live your secret dream
Im the king of the night time world
And youre my headlight queen
Im the king of the night time world
Come live your secret dream
Im the king of the night time world
song performed by by Kiss
Submitted by Lucian Velea
Vote! | Copy!
King Solomon and the Ants
Out from Jerusalem
The king rode with his great
War chiefs and lords of state,
And Sheba's queen with them;
Comely, but black withal,
To whom, perchance, belongs
That wondrous Song of songs,
Sensuous and mystical,
Whereto devout souls turn
In fond, ecstatic dream,
And through its earth-born theme
The Love of loves discern.
Proud in the Syrian sun,
In gold and purple sheen,
The dusky Ethiop queen
Smiled on King Solomon.
Wisest of men, he knew
The languages of all
The creatures great or small
That trod the earth or flew.
Across an ant-hill led
The king's path, and he heard
Its small folk, and their word
He thus interpreted:
'Here comes the king men greet
As wise and good and just,
To crush us in the dust
Under his heedless feet.'
The great king bowed his head,
And saw the wide surprise
Of the Queen of Sheba's eyes
As he told her what they said.
'O king!' she whispered sweet,
'Too happy fate have they
Who perish in thy way
Beneath thy gracious feet!
'Thou of the God-lent crown,
Shall these vile creatures dare
Murmur against thee where
The knees of kings kneel down?'
'Nay,' Solomon replied,
'The wise and strong should seek
The welfare of the weak,'
And turned his horse aside.
His train, with quick alarm,
Curved with their leader round
The ant-hill's peopled mound,
And left it free from harm.
The jewelled head bent low;
'O king!' she said, 'henceforth
The secret of thy worth
And wisdom well I know.
'Happy must be the State
Whose ruler heedeth more
The murmurs of the poor
Than flatteries of the great.'
poem by John Greenleaf Whittier
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!