JEZEBEL. 
 
PART I. 
 
A LION’S mane, a leopard’s skin 
Across my dusty shoulders thrown ; 
A swart fierce face, with eyes where sin 
Lurks like a serpent by a stone. 
A man driven forth by lust to seek 
Rest from himself on Carmel’s peak. 
 
A prophet with wild hair behind, 
Streaming in fiery clusters !  Yea, 
Tangled with vehemence of the wind, 
And knotted with the tears that slay ; 
And all my face parched up and dried, 
And all my body crucified. 
 
Ofttimes the Spirit of the Lord 
Descends and floods me with his breath ; 
My words are fashioned as a sword, 
My voice is like the voice of death. 
The thunder of the Spirit’s wings 
Brings terror to the hearts of kings. 
 
Anon, and I am driven out 
In desert places by desire ; 
My mouth is salt and dry ; I doubt 
If hell hath such another fire ; 
If God’s damnation can devise 
A lust to match these agonies. 
 
The desert wind my body burns, 
The voice of flesh consumes my soul ;