As a regular patron of Brooks Library, I'm always searching around for the amazing volumes it holds. Our little library is a treasure trove. Often obscure and old books are hidden in the stacks, waiting for curious minds to find them.

This season I searched for Christmas poetry in the great online catalog and came across "A Book of Christmas Verse". Published first in 1895 and revised in 1926 by the Oxford University Press, it is a rather small book. A worn red cover with a battered black spine. Looks like it's been well used and read by many. The sticker inside reads, "Brattleboro Public Library".

Among the many unknown and some well known hymns and verses I found the original "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing!" Except the original, written by Charles Wesley, a leader of Methodism, is not about angels. Here is what Mr. Wesley wrote:

"A Hymn For Christmas Day"

"Hark, how all the welkin ring,
Glory to the King of kings!
Peace on Earth and mercy mild,
God and sinners reconciled!
Joyful, all ye nations rise,
Join the triumph of the skies!
Universal nature say,
Christ the Lord is born today.

"Hail, the heavenly Prince of Peace,
Hail! the Sun (ibid) of Righteousness!
Light and Life to all He brings,
Risen with healing in His wings.
Mild He lays His glory by,
Born that man no more may die,
Born to raise the sons of earth,
Born to give them second birth."

I prefer the original.
There are too many wonderful poems and hymns to post here. But an Alfred, Lord Tennyson poem called "Christmas and New Year Bells" (bells were big in those days) captures the essence of the spirit for me:

"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 the grief that saps the mind,
For these that here we see no more;
Ring out the feud of rich and poor,
Ring in redress to all mankind.

"Ring out a slowly dying cause,
And ancient forms of party strife,
Ring in the nobler modes of life,
With sweeter manners, purer laws.

"Ring out the want, the care, the sin,
The faithless coldness of the times;
Ring out, ring out, my mournful rhymes,
But ring the fuller minstrel in.

"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.

"Ring out old shapes of foul disease.
Ring out the narrowing lust of gold,
Ring out the thousand wars of old,
Ring in the thousand years of peace.

"Ring in the valiant man and free,
The larger heart, the kindlier hand,
Ring out the darkness of the land,
Ring in the Christ that is to be."

Amen.
Love and Joy come to you.
-annikee