A Merry Christmas Eve

A Merry Christmas Eve. 

by Charles Kingsley

It chanced upon the merry, merry Christmas eve

I went sighing past the church across the moorland

dreary:

" Oh ! never sin and want and woe this earth will leave,

And the bells but mock the wailing round, they sing

so cheery.

How long, O Lord ! how long before Thou come again ?

Still in cellar, and in garret, and on moorland dreary

The orphans moan, and widows weep, and poor men

toil in vain,

Till earth is full of hope deferred, though Christmas

bells be cheery."

Then arose a joyous clamor from the wild fowl on the

mere,

Beneath the stars, across the snow, like clear bells

ringing,

And a voice within cried : " Listen ! — Christmas carols

even here !

Though thou be dumb, yet o'er their work the stars

and snows are singing.

Blind ! I live, I love, I reign ; and all the nations through

With the thunder of my judgments even now are

ringing ;

Do thou fulfill thy work, but as yon wild fowl do,

Thou wilt hear no less the wailing, yet hear through it

angels singing."