ESTHER CROWNED QUEEN FOR SUCH A TIME AS THIS
(From the book of Esther)
The king of Persia ruled many lands,
But he also liked to party.
He was celebrating with many one day,
And told them to party hearty.
Queen Vashti had a separate one,
That included only women.
They would be away from the drunkenness,
That was usual among the men.
During the party the king got drunk,
Then gave an order to the queen.
To wear just a crown and parade around,
He wanted her beauty to be seen.
The queen was quite insulted,
So she refused to obey.
The king was so angry he wanted her punished,
He just had to think of a way.
Before acting, he sought advice.
He was told his wife should be banished.
Another should take her place;
After that, the queen just vanished.
One young and beautiful girl,
From every province in the land,
Was made a part of his harem;
He would choose a wife on demand.
In the land lived Mordecai, a Jew;
And one day officials came.
They took his cousin whom he raised;
Esther was her name.
Esther was given seven maids,
For the king liked her right away.
She got the best place in the harem;
She was obviously going to stay.
For a year Esther was beautified,
Then she took her turn with the king.
He liked her best of all,
So Esther would wear the king’s ring.
Meanwhile two officials,
Conspired to end the king's life.
When Mordecai learned of the plot,
He told Esther, who was now the king's wife.
Later on impulse the king commanded:
To his noblemen all should bow.
But Mordecai bowed only to God;
He had made a personal vow.
This angered one of the noblemen;
Haman was the man's name.
He decided all of the Jews should die;
He would treat all ages the same.
Haman convinced the king to agree,
And so his decree was read.
The Jews were to all be killed;
A reward was placed on each head.
Esther and her cousin had once saved the king,
Though the king didn't remember who.
Haman knew Mordecai was a Jew,
But he didn't know Esther was too.
The Jews were quite distraught;
They were fasting, weeping and wailing.
Some sat in sackcloth and ashes;
Others' hearts were failing.
Esther saw that her uncle was troubled,
So she sent a courier to ask why.
Mordecai told him everything:
The Jews were all going to die.
The courier, a eunuch, told Esther,
The king's mercy she should seek.
Esther replied that she feared for her life;
The mere thought made her knees weak.
Mordecai cautioned Esther,
That in this circumstance,
A revolt would occur and her family would die;
This was their only chance.
Like a father, he also told Esther,
To refuse would be remiss.
For God allowed her to be queen,
For such a time as this.
Esther asked the Jews to fast,
And for three days and nights to pray.
She and her maids would do the same;
She would ask the king the fourth day.
She prayed that when she approached him,
The king would not be offended.
She knew her only chance to survive,
Was if his gold rod was extended.
The king was pleased to see Esther;
He wanted her to come.
He offered her anything she wanted,
Even up to half of the kingdom.
She didn't tell him immediately;
She asked him to dinner instead.
Haman would be invited;
His last days were just ahead.
While at the dinner party,
Esther mentioned the king’s new rule,
And how her family was going to die,
For the king had been played for a fool.
The king got angry and demanded,
“Who concocted this terrible plan?”
Esther pointed at Haman saying,
“That vile Haman is the man!”
Haman had ordered a pole be erected;
On which Mordecai was to be impaled.
But it was he and his sons’ who met that fate,
When his prideful, evil plot failed.
Many events have happened,
In the interesting days of yester,
But even now the Jews celebrate,
The life-saving Feast of Esther.
Becky Wall
