You Know I Get More Thoughtful This Time of Year

It's traditional in my Family of Origin (what a term, right?) to bring out the Christmas music on Thanksgiving. I follow that tradition in my own family (of two for now, well four counting Lucy & Pasqua) to some extent, but I get restless and round about my birthday (which was Monday) or a couple of weeks before Thanksgiving, I pull out the music. I don't subject B to it until Thanksgiving, because he'll be patient with me enough to listen to it nonstop until December 25. Then it gets lovingly packed away and he makes a HUGE deal of putting in secular music and listening to it with an all-too-pleased look on his face.

Anyway, this year, I brought out the Christmas music two weeks ago. I've been listening to it while I have visitors, while I'm reading and while I'm just lying about being the Woman of Leisure that I am these days (hah hah hah hah ahhhhhh). The following is a Christmas song with which I have bonded this year. I am particularly fond of the lyrics, and Frank Sinatra sang it - which makes it even better in my mind. So, I looked up the lyrics and realized that it is a poem by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow! Imagine my delight to find that this song that I've listened to over and over again is actually a poem by one of the best poets in the world!

I particularly love the second to last stanza, so pay attention! Enjoy your Christmas or Hanukkah Season (or both). And I hope that your Season is as hopeful and joyous and blessed as ours is!

I Heard the Bells On Christmas Day

(Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807-1882), 1867)

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.

I 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.

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."

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!