Christmas Bells, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow Poem / Original music

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow wrote this poem, Christmas Bells on Christmas day in 1864. His son was wounded during the American civil war and he was despondent from that and with the war dragging on but on Christmas he heard the bells and the singing of the carols and he was hopeful the war would soon be over. In fact in 4 months it would be. I liked the poem so much I made up a song for it many years ago and felt like singing it again. I sing and play it on acoustic guitar using a simple fingerpicking arpeggio style.

Christmas Bells - poem by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
Music by Dan D. Dirges
Performed by Dan D. Dirges

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!

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!’

'Christmas Bells' a Christmas poem by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow