CHRISTMAS 1863

I hear the bells on Christmas day
The old familiar carols play
And wild and sweet,
The words repeat
Of peace on earth, good-will to men.

Then from each black, accursed mouth
The cannon thundered in the South;
And with that sound,
The carols drowned
Of peace on earth, good-will to men.

It was as if an earthquake rent
The hearthstones of a continent,
And made forlorn,
The household 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 load 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."

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

A CHRISTMAS CAROL

In the bleak mid winter
Frosty wind made moan,
Earth stood hard as iron,
Water like a stone;
Snow had fallen, snow on snow
Snow on snow,
In the bleak mid-winter
Long ago.

Our God, Heaven cannot hold Him
Nor earth sustain;
Heaven and earth shall flee away
When He comes to reign;
In the bleak mid-winter
A stable place sufficed
The Lord God Almighty
Jesus Christ.

Enough for Him, whom cherubim
Worship night and day,
A breastfull of milk
And a manger of hay;
Enough for Him, whom angels
Fall down before,
The ox and ass and camel
Which adore.

Angels and archangels
May have gathered there,
Cherubim and seraphim
Thronged in the air;
But only His mother
In her maiden bliss
Worshipped the Beloved
With a kiss.

What can I give Him If I were a shepherd
I would bring Him a lamb,
If I were a wise man
I would do my part,
Yet what can I give Him?
Give my heart.

Christina Rosetti