Last night we slept through the longest night of the year, reminding us that this year is waning and the earth will begin its slow journey back towards the sun. Whether we are ready for it or not, the new year will soon arrive. Will there be good news? Do we dare to hope? Will this long national nightmare end?
Three years ago, at this time, I told a story about Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, our native poet and a staunch abolitionist, who had sent his son off to fight for the Union in America’s Civil War.
Longfellow’s son was injured in that long-ago war. When the poet heard the news, he sat down and wrote “Christmas Bells”, which later became the familiar Christmas carol “I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day.”
Today, we are in the midst of another kind of war: a battle for our country’s soul. Abraham Lincoln, at Gettysburg spoke the words that, sadly, describe our divided United States right now: “We are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether (our) nation… can long endure.”
As I did three years ago, when America was engaged in foreign wars, I offer Longfellow’s poem once more to you, in the spirit of hope while in the midst of and in spite of chaos, confusion and conflict.
May there be peace in your heart and by your hearth today.
I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day 🔔
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.
I thought how, as the day had come,
The belfries of all Christendom
Had rolled along th’unbroken song
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.’
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. 🔔
3 Responses
tears in my eyes, Thank you Polly as always for your needed insight! Much love, Bev and Dave
Longfellow’s words were so poignant when he wrote them, and equally touching and appropriate for us today as we continue to search for “peace on earth, good will to men.” Let’s pray we find those elusive hopes as the world revolves from the dark night of 2021 to the brighter day of 2022. Much love, Tish
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