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!”
–Henry Wadworth Longfellow, Christmas Bells
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The lines above are the last two stanzas of a poem Longfellow wrote in 1863 during the height of the American Civil War. Several years later, in 1872, the poem was incorporated into the Christmas carol we know as I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day.
I am hoping that the last three lines hold true for us going into the future.
Great post!
Thank you, Kendall. Wishing you a nice holiday.
Welcome! You, too!
Thank you! Our minister read the entire poem a few Sunday’s ago, and I was grateful to hear it. All good wishes to you and yours for peace and good will now and onward….
Lovely Painting. This has always been one of my favorite poems. It always renews hope. Have a wonderful holiday .
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