Christmas Bells (by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow)
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
Christmas Bells
by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
I heard the bells on Christmas Day
Their old, familiar carols play,
And wild and sweet
The words repeat
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!
And thought how, as the day had come,
The belfries of all Christendom
Had rolled along
The unbroken song
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!
Till ringing, singing on its way,
The world revolved from night to day,
A voice, a chime,
A chant sublime
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!
Then from each black, accursed mouth
The cannon thundered in the South,
And with the sound
The carols drowned
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!
It was as if an earthquake rent
The hearth-stones of a continent,
And made forlorn
The households born
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!
And in despair I bowed my head;
"There is no peace on earth," I said;
"For hate is strong,
And mocks the song
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!"
Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:
"God is not dead, nor doth He sleep;
The Wrong shall fail,
The Right prevail,
With peace on earth, good-will to men."
Posted by Jesus Crisis at 12/25/2009 11:52 AM 
Categories: Poetry,Longfellow (Henry Wadsworth),1800s,American
Tags: Henry Wadsworth Longfellow American Poetry American Literature
Categories: Poetry,Longfellow (Henry Wadsworth),1800s,American
Tags: Henry Wadsworth Longfellow American Poetry American Literature
Merry Christmas John!
Sending special blessings to you and Jeri. May you day be blessed!
M~
Reply to this
Thank you, Michael! I hope your family's holiday has been blessed as well.
Reply to this
Thank you, thank you, thank you. It's been too long since I heard this; we used to sing it in our little Methodist church in Port Vue, Pa., when I was too young to pay close attention to the words. Re-reading it now, I realize he wrote this during the Civil War, and that his anguished outpouring was in response to the horrible destructions of that war. That realization makes this hymn all the more meaningful at Christmas, and this Christmas in particular. To our great grief, the peace we looked for with such hope, and were promised by the new administration, is betrayed by an increase in war-making, against the will of the people. I wish that I could reach the same belief as Longfellow did, that in the end, the Right will prevail.
Reply to this
Thank you, Tina! Sometimes it's hard to believe - I know all too well - but I think it almost essential, lest good people just give up.
Reply to this