Milton begins by summoning Voice and Verse, those “Sphear-born” sisters, asking them to blend their divine sounds so that we might glimpse the unbroken concert around God’s sapphire throne. There, seraphim blow trumpets, cherubim strum golden harps, and redeemed spirits sing endless hymns. The speaker’s tone is intensely wistful: he remembers that we once answered that heavenly noise with our own undiscording voices, until sin threw creation out of tune. Now all he wants is to be gathered back into that celestial consort, to sing in an “endless morn of light.” The imagery of trumpets, harps, and shouting angels creates a mood of ecstatic solemnity, but there is no calm detachment here; every line trembles with the hope that human song might again keep in tune with heaven. The final prayer for reunion leaves the poem feeling both majestic and painfully tender — a soul stretching toward a harmony it has lost and desperately hopes to recover.
At A Solemn Musick — Summary
Blest pair of Sirens, pledges of Heav'ns joy, Sphear-born harmonious Sisters, Voice, and Vers, Wed your divine sounds, and mixt power employ Dead things with inbreath'd sense able to pierce, And to our high-rais'd phantasie present, That undisturbed Song of pure content, Ay sung before the saphire-colour'd throne To him that sits theron With Saintly shout, and solemn Jubily, Where the bright Seraphim in burning row Their loud up-lifted Angel trumpets blow, And the Cherubick host in thousand quires Touch their immortal Harps of golden wires, With those just Spirits that wear victorious Palms, Hymns devout and holy Psalms Singing everlastingly; That we on Earth with undiscording voice May rightly answer that melodious noise; As once we did, till disproportion'd sin Jarr'd against natures chime, and with harsh din The fair musick that all creatures made To their great Lord, whose love their motion sway'd In perfect Diapason, whilst they stood In first obedience, and their state of good. O may we soon again renew that Song, And keep in tune with Heav'n, till God ere long To his celestial consort us unite, To live with him, and sing in endles morn of light.
Note: 6 content] Manuscript reads concent as does the Second Edition; so that content is probably a misprint.