The Queen of Sheba
an extract
she wants to strip the willow
she desires the keys
to the National Library
she is beckoning
the lasses
Yes, we’d like to
clap the camels,
to smell the spice,
admire her hairy legs and
bonny wicked smile, we want to take
PhDs in Persian, be vice
to her president: we want
to help her
ask some Difficult Questions
she’s shouting for our wisest man
to test her mettle:
Scour Scotland for a Solomon!
Sure enough: from the back of the crowd
someone growls:
whae do you think y’ur?
and a thousand laughing girls and she
draw our hot breath
and shout
THE QUEEN OF SHEBA!
About this poem
This poem was reproduced on a postcard for National Poetry Day 2009. Eight poetry postcards are published each year by the Scottish Poetry Library to celebrate National Poetry Day and are distributed throughout Scotland to schools, libraries and other venues. The theme for 2009 was heroes and villains. You can find out more about National Poetry Day in our National Poetry Day pages.
