Ring Out, Wild Bells
Ring out, wild bells, to the wild sky,
The flying cloud, the frosty light;
The year is dying in the night;
Ring out, wild bells, and let him die.
Ring out the old, ring in the new,
Ring, happy bells, across the snow:
The year is going, let him go;
Ring out the false, ring in the true.
Ring out the grief that saps the mind,
For those that here we see no more,
Ring out the feud of rich and poor,
Ring in redress to all mankind.
Ring out a slowly dying cause,
And ancient forms of party strife;
Ring in the nobler modes of life,
With sweeter manners, purer laws.
Ring out the want, the care the sin,
The faithless coldness of the times;
Ring out, ring out my mournful rhymes,
But ring the fuller minstrel in.
Ring out false pride in place and blood,
The civic slander and the spite;
Ring in the love of truth and right,
Ring in the common love of good.
Ring out old shapes of foul disease,
Ring out the narrowing lust of gold;
Ring out the thousand wars of old,
Ring in the thousand years of peace.
Ring in the valiant man and free,
The larger heart, the kindlier hand;
Ring out the darkness of the land,
Ring in the Christ that is to be.
Alfred, Lord Tennyson
Our collection of vintage brass Christmas bells |
Beautiful ..Farewell to the old, Renewal and transformation, and complete hope!
ReplyDeleteHope was my word for 2021. I wonder if it's time to revisit it?
DeleteLove this poem! Your Christmas bells are charming. I don’t believe I’ve seen any before. Happy New Year!
ReplyDeleteWe inherited the collection from Hubby's great aunt when she passed.
Delete"Ring in the thousand years of peace."
ReplyDeleteThat's going to take lots and lots of ringing.
I'm up to it. Are you?
DeleteAs relevant today as when the poem was written in the Victorian age.
ReplyDeleteIt is.
DeleteGod bless you this New Year and always.
ReplyDeleteNew Year's blessings to you, too.
DeleteWishing you a happy and healthy 2025, Kathy, and thanks for sharing the vintage bells and the poem, both a good start to the year.
ReplyDelete