Tuesday, December 23, 2014

The Bells of WWII





One of my favourite holiday poems, 
I can never get through it without tears.


The Bells (1940 version) - Rachel Fields

What will the bells of Paris say
To those who wake on Christmas day
Where the Seine flows on by the buildings gray
On Christmas in the morning?
"Noel! Noel!" the bells will peal
Above the echo of iron heel,
To a city bowed by a yoke of steel,
"Noel for Christmas morning."

How will the bells of Munich raise
Their carols of forbidden praise
For hearts remembering gentler ways
Of peace on Christas morning!
"Once," they will toll. "we dared to play
Good will to men on Christmas day
To men who mock us and betray
The faith of Christmas morning."


What will the bells of London cry
Where death and danger ride the sky.
And men put on their boots to die
On Christmas day in the morning?
"Hail," they will clamor, bell for bell,
"Burn us, and break us with fire and shell,
Still we will answer "All is well,
Take heart on Christmas morning!"

4 comments:

  1. Cool! I had never seen this one before ~

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  2. bobbie - I found it in a tiny book of her poems many years ago.
    Erin

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  3. This is truly beautiful and poignant. I must look up more of her poems. Thank you for posting. Merry Christmas to you and Margo and those you love and celebrate it with.

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  4. Barbara - And the same for you and yours. Merry Christmas!
    Erin

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