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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

CHRISTMAS BELLS, by                    
First Line: The years come not back that have circled away
Last Line: "of solemn joy, o christmas bells!"
Subject(s): Bells;christmas;happiness;music & Musicians; "nativity, The;joy;delight;


THE years come not back that have circled away
With the past of the eastern land,
When he plucked the corn on the Sabbath day
And healed the withered hand;
But the bells shall join in a joyous chime
For the One who walked the sea,
And ring again for the better time
Of the Christ that is to be!
Then ring — for earth's best promise dwells
In ye, O joyous prophet bells!

Ring out at the meeting of night and morn
For the dawn of a happier day!
Lo, the stone from our faith's great sepulchre torn
The angels have rolled away!
And they come to us here in our low abode,
With words like the sunrise gleam —
Come down and ascend by that heavenly road
That Jacob saw in his dream.
Spirit of love, that in music dwells,
Open our hearts with the Christmas bells!

Help us to see that the glad heart prays
As well as the bended knees;
That there are in our own as in ancient days
The scribes and the Pharisees;
That the Mount of Transfiguration still
Looks down on these Christian lands,
And the glorified ones from the holy hill
Are reaching their helping hands.
These be the words our music tells
Of solemn joy, O Christmas bells!





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