Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, CHRISTMAS CAROLS EVERYWHERE, by CHARLES KINGSLEY


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

CHRISTMAS CAROLS EVERYWHERE, by                     Poet's Biography
First Line: It chanced upon the merry, merry christmas eve
Last Line: "angels singing."
Variant Title(s): A Christmas Carol;the Merry Christmas Eve
Subject(s): Christmas; Nativity, The


IT chanced upon the merry merry Christmas eve,
I went sighing past the church across the moorland dreary --
"Oh! never sin and want and woe this earth will leave,
And the bells but mock the wailing round, they sing so cheery.
How long, O Lord! how long before Thou come again?
Still in cellar, and in garret, and on moorland dreary
The orphans moan, and widows weep, and poor men toil in vain,
Till earth is sick of hope deferred, though Christmas
bells be cheery."

Then arose a joyous clamor from the wild-fowl on the mere,
Beneath the stars, across the snow, like clear bells ringing,
And a voice within cried -- "Listen! -- Christmas carols even here!
Though thou be dumb, yet o'er their work the stars and
snows are singing.
Blind! I live, I love, I reign; and all the nations through
With the thunder of my judgments even now are ringing.
Do thou fulfil thy work but as yon wild-fowl do,
Thou wilt heed no less the wailing, yet hear through it
angels singing."





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