Love's Music

Love held a harp between his hands, and lo!
The master hand, upon the harp-strings laid,
By way of prelude such a sweet tune played
As made the heart with happy tears o'erflow;
Then sad and wild did that strange music grow,
And like the wail of woods by storm gusts swayed,
While yet the awful thunder's wrath is stayed,
And Earth lies faint beneath the coming blow, —

Still wilder waxed the tune; until at length
The strong strings, strained by sudden stress and sharp
Of that musician's hand intolerable.
And jarred by sweep of unrelenting strength.
Sundered, and all the broken music fell.
Such was Love's music, — lo, the shattered harp!