[Poems by Woolson in] Five generations (1785-1923) being scattered chapters from the history of the Cooper, Pomeroy, Woolson and Benedict families, with extracts From their Letters and Journals, as well as articles and poems by Constance Fenimore Woolson |
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CHARLES DICKENS. |
 | [Poems by Woolson in] Five generations (1785-1923) |  |
272
CHARLES DICKENS.
CHRISTMAS 1870.
Ring out, O Bells, for merry, merry Christmas,
Down through the crowded street;
Let all the city chimes in pealing chorus
The Gloria repeat;
And sounding onward over hill and valley,
Buried beneath the snow,
Let village spires take up the joyful story,
Echoing to and fro.
Down through the crowded street;
Let all the city chimes in pealing chorus
The Gloria repeat;
And sounding onward over hill and valley,
Buried beneath the snow,
Let village spires take up the joyful story,
Echoing to and fro.
Bring in the evergreens, wreathe shining holly
With odorous dark pine,
Festoon the dim Cathedral's gothic arches,
The glittering organ twine;
Gather together round the glowing fireside,
The old, the grave, the gay,
And sing in carols how the holy Christ-child,
Was born on Christmas-day.
With odorous dark pine,
Festoon the dim Cathedral's gothic arches,
The glittering organ twine;
Gather together round the glowing fireside,
The old, the grave, the gay,
And sing in carols how the holy Christ-child,
Was born on Christmas-day.
But 'midst the chimes from cross-crowned steeples ringing,
The Christmas garlands green,
The children's voices joyous carols singing,
The merry household scene,
Forget not one who told the Christmas story
With matchless loving art,
“Peace and good-will to men” with tender glory
Filling his kindly heart.
The Christmas garlands green,
The children's voices joyous carols singing,
The merry household scene,
Forget not one who told the Christmas story
With matchless loving art,
“Peace and good-will to men” with tender glory
Filling his kindly heart.
Forget not one who hailed the Christmas season
In child-like faith and joy,
Sharing the festal song and merry frolics,
A laughing, grey-haired boy;
Forget not one, who yearly gave us legends
Through the long, happy past,
Each one exhaling spicy Christmas perfumes
More fragrant than the last.
In child-like faith and joy,
Sharing the festal song and merry frolics,
A laughing, grey-haired boy;
Forget not one, who yearly gave us legends
Through the long, happy past,
Each one exhaling spicy Christmas perfumes
More fragrant than the last.
The kindly heart is still; the voice is silent;
No more we wait to hear
The magic accents of the Great Enchanter,
The story-teller dear;
But from the stormy shore of dark Atlantic
To fair Pacific's wave
Thousands of hearts will send a Christmas blessing
To rest on Dickens' grave.
No more we wait to hear
The magic accents of the Great Enchanter,
The story-teller dear;
But from the stormy shore of dark Atlantic
To fair Pacific's wave
Thousands of hearts will send a Christmas blessing
To rest on Dickens' grave.
| [Poems by Woolson in] Five generations (1785-1923) | |