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I HEARD THE BELLS ON CHRISTMAS DAY - by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, 1863
                                            Public Domain

  (Original name: "Christmas Bells")


    (Written during the middle of the American Civil War.)
   
 
REVISED LYRICS - eliminating references to the American Civil War


           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 th' 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. 

                              
                                  Amen.

ORIGINAL LYRICS - Containing references to the American Civil War

These are the original lyrics. Original name was "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, 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!
 

Source: for original lyrics: http://suvcw.org/mollus/art005.htm