by John Masefield (1878 - 1967)

Speak to us, Music, for the discord jars
Language: English 
Speak to us, Music, for the discord jars; 
The world's unwisdom brings or threatens Death. 
Speak, and redeem this misery of breath 
With that which keeps the stars 
Each to her point in the eternal wheel 
That all clear skies reveal. 

Speak to us; lift the nightmare from us; sing. 
The screams of chaos make the daylight mad. 
Where are the dew-drenched mornings that we had 
When the lithe lark took wing? 
Where the still summers, when more golden time 
Spoke to us, from the lime? 

Though these be gone, yet, still, Thy various voice 
May help assuage the pangs of our distress, 
May hush the yelling where the fiends rejoice, 
Quiet the sleepless, making sorrow less. 
Speak, therefore, Music; speak. 
Calm our despair ; bring courage to the weak. 

Ah, lovely Friend, bring wisdom to the strong, 
Before a senseless strength has all destroyed. 
Be sunlight on the night of brooding wrong. 
Be form upon the chaos of the void. 
Be Music ; be Thyself; a prompting given 
Of Peace, of Beauty waiting, and sin shriven.

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Confirmed with John Masefield, Bluebells, and other verse, New York,: Macmillan, 1961, page 121, titled "A Cry to Music". First published under the title "Music 1939-40".


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This text was added to the website: 2023-04-19
Line count: 24
Word count: 175