In the concluding lines of the "Song of Songs", one lover beckons the other to hurry to the "hills of spices," a place rich in fragrances and flavors, a feast for the senses. This lovely new collection invites us all to feast our senses on poetry from the "Song of Songs" and from many other passages of the Bible. Some of these, like "The Song of the Sea" and "David's Lament", are well-known classics; others, such as surprising poetic moments in "Isaiah" and "Ezekiel", will, for many, be delightful new discoveries. Verses from the pages of Genesis, Exodus, Ecclesiastes, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Proverbs, Psalms, and many other biblical books are here, with the JPS English translation sitting across the page from the original biblical Hebrew. The poems are organized thematically - Blessings and Curses, Laments, Love Songs, Prayers and Songs of Praise, among others - making it easy to find the right verse to fit the mood or need. There is an appendix listing the poems by biblical book, chapter, and verse.The introduction by poet, critic, and biblical commentator Alicia Ostriker offers readers an overview of the collection and a "way in" to reading biblical poems, their literary quality, imagery, rhythms, themes, and their evocative power of response.