As once a noisy car bore me along, I met a group of street musicians. They Were near me, but I could not hear them play, -- I only marked the influence of their song: The violinist's eyes flash at the throng, The harper's fingers through the dumb strings stray. I saw the girl's throat swell, as in her lay She found a moment she would fain prolong. Thy saints their glorious viols strike, O Lord, I see them stand and know they sing to me; But life's confusion dulls my spirit's ear. I catch, now here, now there, some broken chord, Though my ears strain towards heaven's minstrelsy. O give me peace that I the whole may hear! | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...NOTHING BUT LEAVES by LUCY EVELINA AKERMAN THE BEGGAR'S HOLIDAY, FR. BEGGAR'S BUSH by JOHN FLETCHER THE NYMPH'S REPLY TO THE SHEPHERD by WALTER RALEIGH THE GOLDEN ODES OF PRE-ISLAMIC ARABIA: IMR EL KAIS by WILFRID SCAWEN BLUNT A DREAM AND A SONG by WILLIAM STANLEY BRAITHWAITE NATURAL MAGIC by ROBERT BROWNING TOWARDS DEMOCRACY: PART 4. GRACIOUS MOTHER by EDWARD CARPENTER |