“We are the music makers” written by Arthur William Edgar O’Shaughnessy is an ode 
glorifying artists of different realms who shape the world through their creative minds. 
The poem portrays the prominence of freedom of expression and the revolutionary 
nature associated with art. The piece is largely celebratory in nature as it appreciates 
those artists who are compelled to live by the fringes of society as they do not fit with 
the societal norms and despite being misunderstood by people play​ a great role in
shaping the age they live in and bring about change in the society.

The poem commences with O’Shaughnessy collectively addressing all the artists as
“music-makers”. The poet​ makes a subtle use of euphemism to describe the creative 
minds of artists as they are the “dreamers of dreams’ and how they think outside the 
tenets of the society. He vividly portrays the sacrifices made by artists by mentioning 
the desolation and outcast associated with their life as he refers to them as 
“world-losers and world-forsakers” who wander by “lone sea breakers” and “desolate 
streams”. The poet reflects the potency of art by describing artists as world “movers” 
and “shakers”, therefore lauding artists as​ the true catalysts of change.

As the poem progresses O’Shaughnessy goes on to reiterate the potency of art by

immortalising art as he refers works of art to be “deathless ditties” which dwell through
generations. He emphasises the impact of art on society and civilization as he talks
about how artists build a story to “fashion” an “empire's glory” or “trample” an “empire
down”. O’Shaughnessy moves forward to provide an tangible attribute to art by
describing an artist who has a dream and provided with an opportunity to progress with
his dream he would “conquer a crown”.

In the concluding lines of the piece the poet reiterates the perpetual life of art and how it
outlives the creator. He again slides the tactile attribute of art by alluding it with biblical
cities of Nineveh and Babel which are representative of human rise & fall and how these
cities were overthrown by the wrath of God. The poet draws in the biblical reference to
compare an artist to a prophet who has a higher level of thinking to envision a new
world, therefore proclaiming the potency to either build or blemish the world. The poet
concludes the piece by refraining that, Only with the death of an ideology, a new one
can take form. The poet therefore describes each 'age' as a 'dream that is dying' or 'one
that is coming to birth'.

The poem therefore represents art in its most fluid form and examines its impact on
different segments of the society. Artists can trample a society down by changing
thought processes and provide new ways of thinking to fashion a new age coming to
birth. They are the true faces of society and help it's progression. O'Shaughnessy
thereby beautifully provides a link between the past, present and future through his od​e.