“I heard the bells on Christmas Day
Their old familiar carols play,
And wild and sweet
The words repeat
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

And thought how, as the day had come,
The belfries of all Christendom
Had rolled along
The unbroken song
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

Till, ringing, singing on its way,
The world revolved from night to day,
A voice, a chime
A chant sublime
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

Then from each black accursed mouth
The cannon thundered in the South,
And with the sound
The carols drowned
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

It was as if an earthquake rent
The hearth-stones of a continent,
And made forlorn
The households born
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

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!”

Analysis, meaning and summary of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's poem Christmas Bells

4 Comments

  1. Bob says:

    Mercy Me, the comtempory Christian music group, who sang “I can only Imagine” also sing a version of this Christmas carole that is 2nd to none…an awesome, powerful song!!!
    Bob

  2. Joe Harlow says:

    The “War for Southern Independence”? In case you missed it, The Wrong did fail, The Right prevailed in that conflict.

  3. LRittmueller says:

    The poet’s crisis over peace on earth RINGS through today. I particularly think of the violence in Iraq. In the Pakistan earthquake, thousands volunteered to help homeless people with shattered lives. Wadsworth concluded, “God is not dead;” He lives in the giving of human kindness, people face to face with the suffering. The Bells ring on.

  4. David C. Arledge says:

    Having read that Longfellow was walking the streets hearing the Christmas bells while at the same time not knowing if his sons were alive (during the War for Southern Independence) I am deeply touched by his verse. His passion for life and peace comes accross to me when I consider what was behind his writing. Would that I knew more such details on his other works. To feel I can somehow share this moment with him 140 years later is a beatiful esperience.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Do you have any comments, criticism, paraphrasis or analysis of this poem that you feel would assist other visitors in understanding the meaning or the theme of this poem by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow better? If accepted, your analysis will be added to this page of American Poems. Together we can build a wealth of information, but it will take some discipline and determination.