Esther Bishop Graham Kings February 14, 2020 Art, Church of England, Contributors, Poetry By Graham Kings Esther is the seventh and final painting by Silvia Dimitrova in our series together, “Women in the Bible.” I picked it up from her at Downside School, Somerset, on Monday 20 January 2020 and wrote my poem, expounding it on the following Friday. Advertisement Esther Who is this woman, Framed by arches, Beautiful, bountiful, Centred, subtle, shrewd, Carrying scented lilies? Who is this man, Pictured with pillars, Royal, imperial, Majestic, magnetic, Extending his sceptre? Who is this man, Holding a scroll, eyes alert, Beckoning, suggesting, Supplicant, petitioning? Who is this man, Head down, eyes closed, Gallowed, glowering, Schemer, scowling? Who are these girls, Gazing at us, And the woman, With posey and scroll? Esther, Jewish Queen of Persia, Orphaned, adopted, awesome, Raised to the heights, Reticent, persuasive, risk-taker, ‘If I perish, I perish’, Bravely delivers her race, From depths of death. Xerxes, King of Persian Empire, Reigns in citadel of Susa, From India to Ethiopia, Opulent, hospitable, terrifying, Saved by Esther from murder, Hears her pleas for her people. Mordecai, cousin of Esther, Foster-father, chronicler, Honourably perceptive: “Perhaps you have come To royal dignity For such a time as this?” Haman, vizier of Xerxes, Machiavellian murderer, Plans destruction of Jews: Snarler ensnared, Worsted, reversed, hoisted, Despised for ever. Children and families, Throughout the ages, Celebrate Purim, Reading the scroll, Feasting and sharing, Remembering freedom and revenge. Yet, the Jew of Nazareth, Enjoins love for enemies, Endures imperial gallows, Absorbing vengeance: Death is destroyed by Esther’s successor at Easter Graham Kings, On the painting “Esther” by Silvia Dimitrova, Jan 24, 2020 The Rt. Rev. Dr. Graham Kings is honorary assistant bishop and world mission adviser in the Diocese of Southwark, England. Links to the other six paintings and poems, and details of Tristan Latchford’s seven anthems based on them, may be found in my invitation to the “Women in the Bible Retreat.” 1 Leave a Reply 1 Comment threads 0 Thread replies 0 Followers Most reacted comment Hottest comment thread 0 Comment authors This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed. Subscribe newest oldest most voted Notify of new follow-up comments new replies to my comments Women in the Bible retreat | Fulcrum Anglican[…] choose the biblical texts – Sarah, Miriam, Ruth, Esther, Magdalene, Lydia and Priscilla – and Alison and I discuss the theology of them with Silvia. […]