Classic Poem

Art reigned incarnate in thy lofty soul,
Tuning that voice which was Rubini's peer,
And whose delicious accents, firm and clear,
Could hold each changing passion in control.

But thou wast greatest in some thrilling role
That shook the heart or drew the rebel tear;
And memories of thee, forever dear,
Will live and linger now from pole to pole.

Death can not ravish thy eternal fame,
Nor can it snatch the laurel from thy brow;
The ermine of thy life is free of stain,
And for all time, thy ever-glorious name,
Shrined in the future, as 't is honored now,
Will pure, supreme and beautiful remain.