This poem continues to strike an emotional chord with people of goodwill, who strive for peace on earth.
Longfellow wrote this poem on Christmas Day in 1863, during the American Civil War.
His oldest son, Charles Appleton Longfellow, joined the Union cause as a soldier without the blessing of his father. Longfellow was informed by a letter dated March 14, 1863, after Charles had left.
“I have tried hard to resist the temptation of going without your leave but I cannot any longer. I feel it to be my first duty to do what I can for my country and I would willingly lay down my life for it if it would be of any good”.
Charles soon got an appointment as a lieutenant and in November 1863, he was severely wounded. Coupled with the recent loss of his wife Frances, Longfellow was inspired to write “Christmas Bells”.
I heard the bells on Christmas Day
Their old, familiar carols play,
and wild and sweet
The words repeat
Of peace on earth, goodwill 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, goodwill 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, goodwill 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, goodwill 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, goodwill 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, goodwill 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, goodwill to men.”
Christmas Bells by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. Performed by Bill Fech.