Christmas is Song and LIght

photo from Flikr via Weebly, may not be copied or altered.

​Christmas Eve

Candles glowing in the night
                                         reflect the stars to Earth bent near.
Everywhere the scent of pine
                                           as trees and wreaths come indoors.
On the stage the children's chorus
                                                sings ageless hymns with voice divine.
On this one night of the year
                                                  are joined Earth-Nature-Heavens' Light

​MW 1993

photo from Flickr via Weebly, cannot be copied or altered.

Burn steady, candle, burn bright,
Let neither sword nor sorrow dim thy light.
May those who fear draw on thy might,
May those who hate know love tonight.

Feed the hungry, warm the cold,
Lift the timid, calm the bold.
Heal the hurt, comfort the ill,
Those who fight send thy goodwill.

Those who grieve lend will to live,
Help the wronged learn to forgive.
The enslaved free through thy light,
The enslavers teach wrong from right.

Burn steady candle for us tonight,
Be the star with beaming light,
Guiding us in darkening sky,
Bringing hope and peace from on high.

​MW 2000 

Church in Oslo, where my great grandparents were married, taped by MW.

Song and Light, LIght and Song,
Lift your voice above the throng.
For one night, let us rejoice;
Let us sing with one voice.

Strangers walking down the street
One another cheerfully greet.
Carollers their music share,
Joyful songs fill the air.

Where one normally would see
Bluish cast of TV,
Tree lights cast their ruddy glow
From a brightly lit window.

Shoppers stroll with a smile,
Never mind the extra mile.
Families join to talk and feast,
Nations call truce, west and east.

What night this that brings such light,
Song and joy and Peace on Earth?
What night? Why, 'tis the night
When we welcome Christ's birth.

​MW 1995

Ring Out Wild Bells
words by Alfred Lord Tennyson, Music traditional

Ring out, wild bells, to the wild sky,
The flying cloud, the frosty light,
The year is dying in the night,
Ring out, wild bells, and let him die.

Ring out the old, ring in the new,
Ring, happy bells, across the snow,
The year is going, let him go;
Ring out the false, ring in the true.

Ring out false pride in place and blood,
The civic slander and the spite,
Ring in the love of truth and right; 
Ring in the common love of good.



I recommend finding the original poems to read, as each has more stanzas that are highly relevant to today's world.  


Heartfelt thanks to my two music teachers who helped me with these recordings.

I Heard the Bells
words by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, music by Johnny Marks

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!

Christmas 2018

MW, JM and Píccola wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
​May the year 2020 bring you joy, friendship, love and peace. 

photo from Flikr via Weebly, cannot be copied or altered.

And may the New Year bring Peace, Goodwill, and  20/20 Clarity to all nations on Earth!