60

"Now give the unearthed Instrument a hand,"
a shouting voice demanded, half in jest,
and thus the shell of man received his stand
amidst a dozen shells. And of his Quest
the man -- the Instrument -- now barely thought
but full embraced the music as it came.
As into the ensemble he was brought,
he knew how great It was -- how great the Game
of Music: improvising melody
while following the voices that surround,
and losing self to wond'rous rhapsody
while cares of any other things are drowned.
While Music played, all shared in noble fun
But now it's stopped, the Meeting is begun.