Religion
Amestris
From Poems & Ballads (First Series)
Religion
I am the queen of Persians.
My breasts were lordlier than bright swans.
My body as amber fair and thin.
Strange flesh was given my lips for bread,
With poisonous hours my days were fed,
And my feet shod with adder-skin.
In Shushan toward Ecbatane
I wrought my joys with tears and pain,
My loves with blood and bitter sin.
Cite this poem
MLA
Swinburne, Algernon Charles. “Amestris.” Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/swinburne/558/.
Chicago
Swinburne, Algernon Charles. “Amestris.” Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/swinburne/558/.
Read this poem with the Codex →