>Grim was the world and grey last night:
>The moon and stars were fled,
>The hall was dark without song or light,
>The fires were fallen dead.
>The wind in the trees was like to the sea,
>And over the mountains’ teeth
>It whistled bitter-cold and free,
>As a sword leapt from its sheath.
>The lord of snows upreared his head;
>His mantle long and pale
>Upon the bitter blast was spread
>And hung o’er hill and dale.
>The world was blind, the boughs were bent,
>All ways and paths were wild:
>Then the veil of cloud apart was rent,
>And here was born a Child.
>The ancient dome of heaven sheer
>Was pricked with distant light;
>A star came shining white and clear
>Alone above the night.
>In the dale of dark in that hour of birth
>One voice on a sudden sang:
>Then all the bells in Heaven and Earth
>Together at midnight rang.
>Mary sang in this world below:
>They heard her song arise
>O’er mist and over mountain snow
>To the walls of Paradise,
>And the tongue of many bells was stirred
>in Heaven’s towers to ring
>When the voice of mortal maid was heard,
>That was mother of Heaven’s King.
>Glad is the world and fair this night
>With stars about its head,
>And the hall is filled with laughter and light,
>And fires are burning red.
>The bells of Paradise now ring
>With bells of Christendom,
>And Gloria, Gloria we will sing
>That God on earth is come.