Intimate and rapturous, the speaker recalls hearing a tune so exquisite it felt like a translation of every melody she knew, and more. Unlike a typical song, it couldn’t be contained or played again — its composer, she imagines a perfect Mozart, died with that keyless rhyme. She sets it against the childhood fable of Eden’s brooks bubbling better music, but she knows that’s just a dim legend. Her tune was real, and no church strain or redemptive bell compares. Now she guards even its smallest fragment, humming it when alone, believing that her faint, earthbound rehearsal will one day drop into perfect harmony around God’s throne.
Better -- than Music! For I -- who heard it -- — Summary
Better -- than Music! For I -- who heard it -- I was used -- to the Birds -- before -- This -- was different -- 'Twas Translation -- Of all tunes I knew -- and more --
'Twasn't contained -- like other stanza -- No one could play it -- the second time -- But the Composer -- perfect Mozart -- Perish with him -- that Keyless Rhyme!
So -- Children -- told how Brooks in Eden -- Bubbled a better -- Melody -- Quaintly infer -- Eve's great surrender -- Urging the feet -- that would -- not -- fly --
Children -- matured -- are wiser -- mostly -- Eden -- a legend -- dimly told -- Eve -- and the Anguish -- Grandame's story -- But -- I was telling a tune -- I heard --
Not such a strain -- the Church -- baptizes -- When the last Saint -- goes up the Aisles -- Not such a stanza splits the silence -- When the Redemption strikes her Bells --
Let me not spill -- its smallest cadence -- Humming -- for promise -- when alone -- Humming -- until my faint Rehearsal -- Drop into tune -- around the Throne --