University of Virginia Library

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ODE FOR THE OPENING OF THE MUSIC HALL AT CINCINNATI, MAY FESTIVAL 1878

II

To what civic Good or Grace
Shall we dedicate the Place?
—To Art and Industry, in friendly strife
Brightening and blessing life:

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To smiling Toil, electric-fingered Skill
(Aladdin's light bidding by the huge bondman done,
Dream-sandaled, tireless, still):
To quick Invention's prompt device,
With mechanism airy-nice,
That, like the old fireside sprite,
Makes the wan maiden's task-work playful-brief,
Letting her sleep by night:
To all that lathe and loom produce:
To Flora's garland, Ceres' sheaf,
And every fruit of soil and sun
(With the blithe vineyard's temperate juice):
To Sculpture's breathless-breathing charm,
And Painting's mirror soft and warm:
To each fair muse and every household grace:
To Use and Beauty bound in one—
We dedicate the Place!
But, first, to her, the Muse of Music, her
Whose speech all spirits in earth and heaven know

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(The native tongue of each far-sundered nation),
The loftiest, lowliest human minister,
Exalting pleasure, soothing woe,—
With heart, and voice, and organ's vast elation,
To her shall be its consecration.

III

From the wide doors of their rapt dwelling-places
(Whence ever-newly come their songs below,
And whither, hence, they go),
Look, what high guests attend our happy rite,
With earth-woven wreaths but sphere-enchanted faces,—
The Masters of Delight!
—First he, of the elder days,
Whom the great organ owns
With its vast-bosomed, earth-shaking, heaven-reaching tones,
(Let the proud servant throb his loftiest praise!)

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Next he, who built the mighty symphonies,
One for each muse, who, chaunting joy and peace,
Thrills us with awe and yearning infinite,
Picturing divine repose, love's world-embracing height!
Then he, whose noblest strain
Brings Orpheus back to quicken earth again,
To conquer darkness and the dread under-powers,
Charming lost love from the deep doors of Hell.
And lo, the choral master, highest in fame
(A thousand voices lift to greet him well),
Who breathes sure faith through these frail hearts of ours!
And many another well-beloved name,
Ay, many another, comes with these,
Star-like, with spheral harmonies:—
Welcome each and all,
To our festal Hall;
Long be its music-lifted dome
For their abiding souls the transient home.

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IV

Hark! as if the morning-stars were singing
O'er the first glad Six Days' Task divine—
What rapturous sounds are these
Of quickening ecstasies!
Earth, from her dark spell-bound slumber breaking,
To the sun's far-journeyed kiss awaking,
Lo, the blissful palpitation
Of the newly-warmed creation!
With a myriad mingling voices
All the electric air rejoices;
All about, beneath, above,
Rings the tender note of love;
Everywhere, around are heard
Fountain-laughter, song of bird,
Insect-murmur, wild-bee's hum,
Bleat of flock and low of kine;—
Airs of new-born Eden bringing,

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With her lilting, light-heart lay,
Dancing, singing,
May is come!—
Open doors and let in May!
Let Nature's full delight
Join with our banded joy, and crown our gracious rite!

V

To this fair civic Hall,
Year after year,
New multitudes in many another May
Shall throng, repeating the bright festival
We celebrate to-day,
With happy rites to peace and culture dear;
Nor absent be our city's Patron then,
In spirit, nor absent now—
Commending loftier-lowlier ways,
The still, clear plainness of heroic days:

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He after whom the founders, putting by
Swords wherewith late their sacred rights were won
(Associates they and friends of Washington),
And, building here in the fierce wilderness,
Beneath the Indian sky,
The home we love and ask of Heaven to bless,
Called it for him, the soldier-citizen,
The Roman at his plough!