I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day

On July 9, 1861 Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s wife, Fanny, was setting her daughter’s hair with a hot sealing wax when suddenly her dress caught fire. Henry, sleeping in the next room, heard her screams and rushed to her aid. In desperation he tried to put out the flames and in doing so severely burned his face and hands. His wife was burned so badly that within a day she lapsed into a coma and died. Henry was so severely burned that he was not able to attend her funeral.

As poetry was one of his greatest crafts, he continued to work, but with long periods of silence. His eyes told of his personal suffering. About three years later, his son was
seriously injured in the Civil War, fighting for the Union. At this time, Longfellow sat down and wrote about the joys of the season of Christmas. His poem began:
 
I heard the bells on Christmas Day
Their old, familiar carols play,
and mild and sweet
The words repeat
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!
 
With the civil war still going on, brother fighting against brother, his own son injured, he continued writing:
 
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!"
 
It was then that he turned to the one who helps solve all of mankind's problems, the One, as they say, can give us true peace on earth:
 
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."
 
May there be peace on earth this Christmas and good will toward all.