Monday, December 31, 2007

FOR THE NEW YEAR


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 the grief that saps the mind,
For those 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.

Alfred Lord Tennyson
and Felisol

7 comments:

Terry said...

Oh what a song Felisol!!
Oh if we would only not only listen to the words but to practise them too!!
I am an hour late wishing you Happy New Year, eh?
But better late than early which I was guilty of!
Let me tell you that in 2007 when I met you, it was one of the happiest days in my life!
Thank you for being my friend and my beloved sister and adopting Dad Golden as your prayer child.
Thank you for sharing your dad and mom and Gunner, princess Serina and Ruby and your aunt and Sigve and Liv with us.
Just to think that maybe in 2008, the Lord will come to take us home and we will all meet!!
And we will see Little Pilgrim Pal and little Montreal Girl and all of the other Christians who we have met on the internet.

Amrita said...

Strong robust poem Felisol. Like its sentiments.

May the Lord bless you and your family , Mom too as you step into the New Year.

Anonymous said...

Hi Felisol -- That is a very nice poem for New Year's. Thank you for the blog visit and for the very nice comment.
Mrs. Jim knows who you are (the lady and family in Norway) and was listening as I read it to her.
Her eyes really perked up with your ending prayer. She has been feeling terrible for over a week now. She might go to the doctor tomorrow.

I will wish you Happy New Year to you, Serina, and Gunnar.
It is ok to be late on that, there still are 365 days left for you out of 2008.
I didn't make the blog buddy rounds on this wish, so again, HAPPY NEW YEAR!
..

Saija said...

i've never heard that song before ... but it is lovely!

much happiness to you and your little family ... and God's blessing!

Sue Seibert said...

"Ring in the Christ that is to be" Amen! Happy New Year, Felisol!!

Felisol said...

Dear Terry, Amrita, Jim, Saija and Sue Sioux,
I do like Lord Tennyson. even though he's been out of fashion for some fifty years..
Every thing is about being in these days. Books are forgotten within a few years. Bestellers are like yesterdays paper; nobody wants them, except me.
I am strongly influenced by my father. He would never throw away a book nor abandon an author he had learned to love in his youth.
Now my taste may be different, But Tennyson we had in common.

I am thanful for so many things that happened to me the past year.
Finding Terry and her Pilgrim Pals sure has been a source to daily joy and strength.
Dad Golden has his own special room in my heart, and I see it as an honor to have him my prayer child.

Jim has given me many a good laugh, and also comfort when in need. You're a splendid mix of Euro-Amrican North-Southener, broad minded and lovable.
Hope you've taken Mrs. Jim to the doc long time ago. She's that little, tiny and oh, so strong type, capable of enduring just too much.
Well, good then that Mr. Jim is an affectionate husband who cares.

Amrita, you have also broadened my horizon. Made things we read about in history books (like Ghandi) or shocking news of today getting closer with a new perspective.
I wish you all good.

Saija, you are a soulmate, and I can easily identify with your trials. I just am not so brave and persistent.
Neither have I your skills with photo and texts.
It's fascinating to learn about the vast Canada and countryside in Manitoba, which does not look very unlike the land Of Ten Thousand Sea from which you originate.
They have said that about Norwegians who emigrated to America. They went west, passed the rich, flat farmland and did not stop until they found stones, woods, mountains and shores that were similar to what they left in Norway. The inn-landers settled in Wisconsin and Nebraska, the ones from the coast line rooted in Seattle, Montana, even Alaska.
Aren't we a queer specie?

Sue Soux,
from the South also is a Lady of many colors. Cooking, quilting, taking care of your family, writing novels in between.
Isn't that a good blend with the blogging as well?

Lil Pilgrim Pal,
I've got the news about your father and his chemo, and I've started praying. You're a wonderful daughter and a rare Pilgrim Youth.
We are both blessed with Terry, the most concerning and warm hearted woman.
She's filling me in, so that the chord of prayers can get thicker

God bless you all with his strength and precence in the year to come.
From Felisol.

Anonymous said...

Felisol, you have a very nice family. I'm glad you could get together, and especially happy your Mom could be there!
Happy New Year to you all again!
..