28 RING OUT, WILD BELLS

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 rimes,

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 )

Biography

Alfred, Lord Tennyson (1809-1892) was one of the greatest English poets of the nineteenth century. He was the son of a clergyman, attended Cambridge University, and devoted a long and peaceful life to the writing of poetry. His genius was recognized by Queen Victoria when she conferred upon him the title, Lord, and also when he succeeded Wordsworth as poet laureate. He retold in verse the stories of King Arthur, and composed many beautiful lyric poems, or songs. “Ring Out, Wild Bells” is from In Memoriam,a long poem written on the death of a dear friend.

Word list

saps : takes all the energy from

spite : anger

You Practice

Answer the following questions.

1) When were the bells ringing?

2) How does the poet explain the phrase “wild sky”?

3) What false things are mentioned in the poem?

4) How Does Tennyson describe his own poetry?

5) What is meant by “the darkness of the land”?