When Christmas bells are swinging above the fields of snow,
We hear sweet voices ringing from lands of long ago.
And etched on vacant places,
Are half forgotten faces
Of friends we used to cherish, and loves we used to know –
When Christmas bells are swinging above the fields of snow.
Uprising from the ocean of the present surging near,
We see, with strange emotion that is not free from fear,
That continent Elysian
Long vanished from our vision,
Youth’s lovely lost Atlantis, so mourned for and so dear,
Uprising from the ocean of the present surging near.
When gloomy gray Decembers are roused to Christmas mirth,
The dullest life remembers there once was joy on earth,
And draws from youth’s recesses
Some memory it possesses,
And, gazing through the lens of time, exaggerates its worth,
When gloomy gray December is roused to Christmas mirth.
When hanging up the holly or mistletoe, I wis
Each heart recalls some folly that lit the world with bliss.
Not all the seers and sages
With wisdom of the ages
Can give the mind such pleasure as memories of that kiss
When hanging up the holly or mistletoe, I wis.
For life was made for loving, and love alone repays,
As passing years are proving for all of Time’s sad ways.
There lies a sting in pleasure,
And fame gives shallow measure,
And wealth is but a phantom that mocks the restless days,
For life was made for loving, and only loving pays.
When Christmas bells are pelting the air with silver chimes,
And silences are melting to soft, melodious rhymes,
Let Love, the worlds beginning,
End fear and hate and sinning;
Let Love, the God Eternal, be worshipped in all climes
When Christmas bells are pelting the air with silver chimes.
My highest CONGRATULATIONS to Ella's family, as The Classic Poem of The DAY! Sincerest, Sylvia Frances Chan, The Netherlands
This poem impresses me with it’s craft—it’s sustained lyricism and easy rhymes. And then there’s its message, of what lies at the foundation of life. Thank you PH for introducing me to this poem. -GK
End fear, hate and sinning, ...steps to Christ oh i love christmas.....a good poem
The beautiful brilliance of Ella Wheeler Wilcox forever shining for everyone to enjoy. My favourite poetess and greatest friend in time without her I wouldn't have written a thing. A tireless humanitarian entertaining the troops during WW 1 reciting her poetry. An animal campaigner and fighter of good causes. To her family of today, many salutations and heart felt joy for the legacy left behind of their gifted ancestor and thanks to the PH team for choosing this for Poem of the Day..
Yes your work is awesome beautiful. So well penned the sublime glory love din all through... beautiful.
Still timeless and still so brilliant. Some poems like people shine will others sparkle. This one shines.
Poignant poem that beautifully articulates that special seasonal feeling.
For life was made for loving, and love alone repays, As passing years are proving for all of Time’s sad ways. There lies a sting in pleasure, .. very nice poem
This poem has not been translated into any other language yet.
I would like to translate this poem
There is magic just in the word Christmas but she adds the sweetest touches to her poem until you would have to be Grinch not to remember your own sweet Christmases past