Our American Holidays - Christmas/Bells Across the Snow

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search

BELLS ACROSS THE SNOWS

O Christmas, merry Christmas!
   Is it really come again,
With its memories and greetings,
   With its joy and with its pain?
There's a minor in the carol,
   And a shadow in the light,
And a spray of cypress twining
   With the holly wreath to-night.
And the hush is never broken
   By laughter light and low,
As we listen in the starlight
   To the "bells across the snow."

O Christmas, merry Christmas!
   'Tis not so very long

Since other voices blended
   With the carol and the song!
If we could but hear them singing
   As they are singing now,
If we could but see the radiance
   Of the crown on each dear brow;
There would be no sigh to smother,
   No hidden tear to flow,
As we listen in the starlight
   To the "bells across the snow."

O Christmas, merry Christmas !
   This never more can be;
We cannot bring again the days
   Of our unshadowed glee.
But Christmas, happy Christmas,
   Sweet herald of good-will,
With holy songs of glory
   Brings holy gladness still.
For peace and hope may brighten,
   And patient love may glow,
As we listen in the starlight
   To the "bells across the snow."