I Am the Woman

I am the Woman, ark of the law and its breaker,

Who chastened her steps and taught her knees to be meek,

Bridled and bitted her heart and humbled her cheek,

Parcelled her will, and cried 'Take more!' to the taker,

Shunned what they told her to shun, sought what they bade her seek,

Locked up her mouth from scornful speaking: now it is open to speak.

I am she that is terribly fashioned, the creature

Wrought in God's perilous mood, in His unsafe hour.

The morning star was mute, beholding my feature,

Seeing the rapture I was, the shame, and the power,

Scared at my manifold meaning; he heard me call

'O fairest among ten thousand, acceptable brother!'

And he answered not, for doubt; till he saw me crawl

And whisper down to the secret worm, 'O mother,

Be not wroth in the ancient house; thy daughter forgets not at all!'

I am the Woman, flëer away,

Soft withdrawer back from the maddened mate,

Lurer inward and down to the gates of day

And crier there in the gate,

'What shall I give for thee, wild one, say!

The long, slow rapture and patient anguish of life,

Or art thou minded a swifter way?

Ask if thou canst, the gold, but oh if thou must,

Good is the shining dross, lovely the dust!

Look at me, I am the Woman, harlot and heavenly wife;

Tell me thy price, be unashamed; I will assuredly pay!'