Christmas Bells and I Heard The Bells On Christmas Day - coloring page

Christmas Bells Wreath

I am a bit of an American Civil War buff.  Yet I just learned the story of the beautiful and hopeful Christmas carol called:  I Heard The Bells On Christmas Day.  Henry Wadsworth Longfellow had become a widow a couple of years before, when his wife passed away.  He emotionally devastated and he was left with several kids to raise on his own.   Then his son snuck off to join the Union Army in the American Civil War.  And then his son was injured severely in battle and doctors thought that he would be paralyzed.  (He ended up not being paralyzed, but his father did not know that at the time.)  So H. W. Longfellow was very sad.  But what I would call The Spirit or the Holy Ghost spoke peace to his soul. . . and. . . Wadsworth wrote the below poem that became the beloved Christmas carol:  I Heard The Bells On Christmas Day.  The verses that talk about the Civil War specifically were omitted from the lyrics of the Christmas carol.  But I love both the poem and the lyrics of the song.   Merry Christmas to you all.  

By the way, this Christmas Bells Wreath can be found, in printable form, by clicking on the button labeled:  "Holidays."  Then scroll down to the Christmas section of the list of printable drawings.  There are several more Christmas drawings that you can print as well.  Merry Christmas everyone!

The poem:  CHRISTMAS BELLS 

(Became the song:  I Heard The Bells On Christmas Day)

by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

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."