Poems (Gifford)/Music
For works with similar titles, see Music.
MUSIC.
Hark! hear ye not the harmonies Through all creation stealing,By subtle means the mysteries Of heaven to earth revealing?
Truths beyond those we learn by word In music find expression,And joys that ne'er our hearts had stirred Become a rich possession.
A heavenly chorus fills the air, Echoing down the ages;The stilled heart hears it everywhere, And blessing it presages.
So manifold its wondrous tones, So resonant its ringing,So forcible the sway its owns, So exquisite its singing.
Now breathing peace, so calm, so soft, As nought could e'er disturb it;With rushing roar resounding oft, As if no power could curb it.
The whispering of the summer breeze, The thunder's mighty crashing,The murmur of the quiet seas, The waves' uproarious splashing;
The robins' solitary lay, The lark's ecstatic trilling,Philomel's anthem, grave, sweet, gay, The midnight silence thrilling;
The mother's gentle lullaby, The infant's pretty cooing,The kindly tones of sympathy, The lover's tender wooing;
The rarest height of cultured art, The song of simplest maiden,The unity of many a part, The clashing bells joy laden;
All are inflections of that voice, Which spake the world to being,And bade the universe rejoice, Its chequered tale foreseeing.
Too true it is that discord mars The glorious harmonics,Though for the earth the morning stars Uttered the clear, true tonics.
True, music hath its counterfeit That seems akin to madness,And the rude, jarring notes we meet Reverberate in sadness.
True, we oft find in sweetest lays Strange minor chords prevailing,And near the highest burst of praise Ascends a weary wailing.
Yet music hath again been heard From out heaven's opened glory,When angels brought the welcome word Of earth's redemption-story.
And a new song shall yet be taught To mortals grown immortal;Already have some notes been caught Through the celestial portal.
And music pure shall be attained, New truth, new bliss revealing;The grand key-note shall be regained, Loud hallelujahs pealing.