Christmas Bells
"Christmas Bells" is a poem by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow that opens with the joyful sound of Christmas carols ringing across Christendom, proclaiming peace on earth. But the poet's hope is shattered when cannon fire from the Civil War drowns out the bells, plunging him into despair at a world torn apart by hatred and violence. The poem traces a raw emotional journey — from wonder to grief to a hard-won renewal of faith — as the bells ring out once more with a defiant declaration that right will ultimately prevail.
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