The Book Dialogue

Christmas Bells by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow


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S3 E13: 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."


This poem is in the public domain.

Thank you for joining us on The Book Dialogue in 2022. We look forward to entering Season 4 in 2023 and sharing the joy and adventure of reading.
All the very best of this festive season to you and yours.
Sarah & Rebecca


Recitation by Sarah Ahmadi and Rebecca Budd

Music by Howard Harper-Barnes “My Only Wish is Love” #EpidemicSound

https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/zoCeMwvHLN/

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