O Music

If Heaven's vaults would open to my prayer

And music of the newer world descend

Harmonious to heal the earth's despair

Its rancour and it rivalries to end,

For this my life as instrument I'd give

And listen for the sanctifying sound,

To hear again those subtle strains I live

That open to us the spirit's native ground.

For there the forces of division fail,

The fuel that fires our greed, our hate, our lust,

In flames consumed, so bright the sun seems pale

And all our littleness reduced to dust.

O Music touch our hearts, play on these strings

The songs that tune our lives to higher things.