 | The Collected Poetry of Paul Laurence Dunbar : |  |
The Concert
I
It was held in God's great temple
On a happy summer's day.
There was quite a host to hear it—
Old and youthful, grave and gray.
On a happy summer's day.
There was quite a host to hear it—
Old and youthful, grave and gray.
Mister Robin was conductor,
With an oak-twig in his hand
Held in readiness to signal
For the music of his band.
With an oak-twig in his hand
Held in readiness to signal
For the music of his band.
And the band was all attention,
All alert was every one.
Robin bowed and gave the signal
And the concert had begun.
All alert was every one.
Robin bowed and gave the signal
And the concert had begun.
Master Locust had his 'cello,
And the cricket played a fife;
While the bee held up a tuba,
Blowing it for dearest life.
And the cricket played a fife;
While the bee held up a tuba,
Blowing it for dearest life.
Then a club of fine musicians—
Very famous—called “The Breeze”—
Charmed the hearts of all their hearers
With some wondrous symphonies.
Very famous—called “The Breeze”—
Charmed the hearts of all their hearers
With some wondrous symphonies.
303
II
And the “Tree Tops” bowed and nodded
Their approval in great haste,
For the symphonies were suited
To their strictly classic taste.
Their approval in great haste,
For the symphonies were suited
To their strictly classic taste.
All the playing was delightful,
Both in point of time and tone;
And no instrument was louder
Than the Wood-Bird's xylophone.
Both in point of time and tone;
And no instrument was louder
Than the Wood-Bird's xylophone.
There were vocalists in plenty,
All the noted ones were there;
E'en the River came to join them,
Gladly furnishing its share.
All the noted ones were there;
E'en the River came to join them,
Gladly furnishing its share.
Why the tumult was stupendous
And was like to shake the place
When a Blue-Bird warbled treble
To the water's rolling bass.
And was like to shake the place
When a Blue-Bird warbled treble
To the water's rolling bass.
Mrs. Katy-Did was present,
For her alto so well known;
Also Mr. Bull-Frog, famous
For his mellow baritone.
For her alto so well known;
Also Mr. Bull-Frog, famous
For his mellow baritone.
III
And the tenor of the concert
Was none other than our friend
G. Rass Hopper—why his encores
Seemed to me, they'd never end.
Was none other than our friend
G. Rass Hopper—why his encores
Seemed to me, they'd never end.
When the solos all were finished
And the orchestra was done,
Then they had the grand finale,
Which was joined by every one.
And the orchestra was done,
Then they had the grand finale,
Which was joined by every one.
Locust, Bull-Frog, Cricket, Blue-Bird,
Katy-Did and Bumble Bee,
Blending all in Nature's chorus
In delightful harmony.
Katy-Did and Bumble Bee,
Blending all in Nature's chorus
In delightful harmony.
304
And the audiences who heard it,
All are willing to confess
That they never heard a concert
Which was such a grand success.
All are willing to confess
That they never heard a concert
Which was such a grand success.
| The Collected Poetry of Paul Laurence Dunbar : | |