Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1859-12-24
A CHRISTMAS RHYME

How swift our life-wayes ebb and flow!
The glad year. in midsummer prime,
Seems dancing to Christmas chime,
With football light as falling snow.
And ere the last sweet echoes cease,
The wearied dancer droops her eyes,
And on Earth's tender bosom lies,
Murmuring of ''Peace Good will, and Peace.
On Winters lap, with sealed nd,
She gently sleeps, and gently dreams
And all aglow with summer seems
The world by sleeps soft mantle hid.
Oh, Christmas has no touch of cold!
Her snow is but bridal veil,
Her cheek alone with joy is pale,
Peace and good will her heart enfold
She comes from all the silent Past,
With words of love- and kisses warm;
Her passing soothes the widest storm!
Peace, only blessed peace at last!
That song, like summer twilight fair,
In winters night awakes glow,
And tiushes warm the winters snow,
And filings perfume through the air.
Oh, blessed, blessed Christmas time!
walk as through garden bright,
Where all is lush with strange delight,
When Memory rings that mellow chime.
The harmonies that round me float
Than gladdest joy-bells sweeter are,
Sweeter than song of morning star,
From Heaven descending note by note!
The sun at MONDAY knows eclipse,
And marries Darkness with ring;
The frightened birds forget to sing,
And Nature into chaos slips.
So oft the circling ring of Time
Binds darkness to us like bride,
A haunting spectre by our side,
A discord i'll our Christmas chime
The song falls joyless on our ears,
Peace, peace on earth, good will to men,"
We cannot see the sunshine when
Our eyes are dim with bitter tears
Tears falling, not for those who go,
Sweet angels, from our earthly sight,
Fading like stars in morning light,
In sleep that His beloved know
AHdt sHauoW Is so Iull OF heaven,
We hush our breath, and silent wait,
As tito some diviner state
Our yearning souls would soar forgiven.
But bitter tears, that blind and burn,
Upon the heart forced back unshed
When Faith and Hope lie pale and dead,
And loving trust to doubt must turn.
When Christmas bells have dirge-like toll,
And, travellers mid the winter snow,
All hopeless thro' the night we go,
Nights hopeless shadow in the soul!
dreamed.-That shadow seemed to fall.
A blight, upon my Christmas air;
No joy-bels rang, and doubt and care
Fell round me like a heavy pail!
waked-the shuddering dream had fled!
Twas but dream, passing shade
Der life by dawning brightness made;
The ghost of Fear, when Fear was deadi
A loving voice called thro' the night;
A loving hand unsealed mine eyes:
started in glad surprise,
And 10, the blue sky brimmed with light!
The Christmas anthem sounds again,
So soft and low, SO sweet and clear,
A blessing on the passing year,
Peace, peace on earth, goodwill to menu
The haunting shadows fall away,
Peace and goodwill alone remain,
The peace that follows bitter pain,
And dawns to an eternal day.
How glorious is this Christmas morn!
Heart answers heart, like jjoy-bells ringing,
While heaven and earth unite in singing
welcome to the Christ newborn
And dearest of all sounds to me,
My heart, with wordless blessings rife,
Sings i'll this glow of endless life
A song of greeting, friend, to thee.
Thus murmurs now my Christmas chime
'rhere is no winter in the year,
No frost, no snow, no doubt, no fear
But loving Christ-Mass thro' all tme!n
Worcester, Dec. 1859.