Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, BATHSHEBA, by HARRY HIBBARD KEMP


Poetry Explorer

Classic and Contemporary Poetry

BATHSHEBA, by                     Poet's Biography
First Line: King david, from his house-top / saw one whose only dress
Last Line: "are flies, in the web of craft!"
Subject(s): Bathsheba (bible); Capital Punishment; Lust; Marriage; Women; Women In The Bible; Hanging; Executions; Death Penalty; Weddings; Husbands; Wives


KING DAVID, from his house-top
Saw One whose only dress
Was the exceeding glory
Of her own loveliness,

While down the water sparkled
Like star-dust powdered fine,
And lightly, brightly followed
Her body's shapely line;

Then, thrall unto the splendor
Of marble-contoured limb,
The great King's trumpet languished,
His voice forsook the hymn ...

Now Uriah's sworded hand
Was swift with the naked knife,
And David feared his wrath—
But he lusted after his wife. ...

But, though he felt as a thief,
In his secret soul he laughed,
"Ha! Ha! the strongest men
Are flies, in the web of craft!"

And over the vineyards green,
And beyond the mountains gray,
Before the Ammonite town
The Hebrew army lay:

So he sent Uriah forth
With his own death writ, in his hand:
"See that the Bearer die—
'Tis David thy King's command!"

And they gave him an hundred men
And stationed him nighest the wall—
And many and brave were slain,
But Uriah the first of all. ...

When a messenger running came
In his heart King David laughed:
"Ha! Ha! The wisest men
Are flies, in the web of craft!"





Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!


Other Poems of Interest...
Home: PoetryExplorer.net