Listen. Can you hear the little bells?

Can you hear them in the distance?

Hear them sing with such persistence,

As this pain within me wells.

Like a box of tiny crystals shaking –

Such a happy sound they’re ever making

Their rhythmic cadence light and cheery

To balm the souls of weak and weary

But I feel sadder with each knell.

–

Listen. Can you hear them?

Distant and dancing, for some – such romancing!

But somehow, I cannot seem to tell,

If my heart is overflowing, or if emptiness is growing,

Ever deep with the toll of each bell.

These tinkling and twinkling sounds of the season,

Ought to be such a balm, but I can’t find a reason,

To tune my heart-strings to their song.

For with each happy strain, I’m reminded of pain

And each festive refrain feels so wrong.

–

Listen. Can you hear the little bells?

Each chime is a child who hasn’t a father,

Just a man in their life who won’t even bother.

A mother is found in the notes of each jingle,

Worn to the bone, for she’s tired and single.

And in every quaint verse, can be found something worse,

A man on the streets feeling bitterly cursed

Or a fugitive dealt a bad hand

Yet with Holiday cheer, we whitewash the fear

We lie to our friends, as we fight back each tear

For the truth is – we barely can stand.

–

Listen. Carefully. Beyond all the noise.

Far past the bells, and the cheap, plastic joys.

The first of the carols can softly be heard

You must quiet your heart, or you won’t hear a word.

–

“Glory to God in the highest

And on earth Peace to all of mankind

For this day comes a Prince who is righteous

To heal both the sick and the blind

And though this brief life can be painful

His burden is easy, you see

For He offers to carry it for you

And to carry you eternally.”

~j.d.schofield