Remembered Music

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A FRAGMENT

Thick-rushing, like an ocean vast
  Of bisons the far prairie shaking,
The notes crowd heavily and fast
As surfs, one plunging while the last
  Draws seaward from its foamy breaking.

Or in low murmurs they began,
  Rising and rising momently,
As o'er a harp AEolian
A fitful breeze, until they ran
  Up to a sudden ecstasy.

And then, like minute-drops of rain
  Ringing in water silvery,
They lingering dropped and dropped again,
Till it was almost like a pain
  To listen when the next would be.

© James Russell Lowell