Sunday, January 1, 2017

My Truest Wishes for the New Year

I had forgotten about Alfred, Lord Tennyson's poem "In Memoriam" (sometimes known as "Ring Out, Wild Bells" and sometimes set to music) until this afternoon.  My truest wishes for the new year echo those of the poet.  What a world we would live in if our world changed to mirror the words of the poem.

            In Memoriam
       Alfred, Lord Tennyson

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.

Happy New Year to you.

--Nancy.
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4 comments:

  1. Hi Nancy, I think I am caught up on all my blog reading now. Enjoyed your Christmas posts and what a lovely, busy time you had. Not unlike my own. When little ones are around, it is always all about them. Anyway, loved your quilty updates and thoughts for future projects. I have similar thoughts. Happy New Year to you and yours!

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    Replies
    1. Hi, Jocelyn. In some ways, it has to be about the little ones. If they're not watched and attended to they could be in danger, or a home could be in danger (depending on how active and curious the little ones are). But it is fun to have our little grandchildren here.

      I'm looking forward to getting back to quilting after being away from it for a month.

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  2. Thank you for sharing, it is great.

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I appreciate your comments and look forward to reading what you have to say. Thanks for stopping by.

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