Carol Of The Bells

"Hark how the bells, sweet silver bells, all seem to say throw cares away. Hark but do not obey. Stay inside. Stay away. That's what you learn."

Christmas is here, and with her comes the angels, the needles, the harmonious tones of a siren singing the praises of the snow and ice. Each tone sending a ringing in my ear that causes me to dance and sing, to jump around in the home. But the door stays bolted. Those sweet silver bells bring us such joy, such alluring joy that drags us out of our homes to go out to the land beyond. The timid children afraid of the snow would step out of their windows, drawn by the gentle calling to wave their arms and skip away. But the windows stay bolted. The ancient elders who lie in bed raise and stumble, but they know better than to obey the bells.

'ding dong ding dong'

The bells draw ever closer, pounding, sounding and raising themselves up over the hills, to pierce my delicate ears. 

'ding dong ding dong'

They sing gently, making a sound more filled with love than any caroling children, they surround you and swirl around you, until you can see nothing but the carol of the bells. On, on they send, on without end.

'ding dong ding dong'

That is their song.

I hear the damned voices choir from their homes, singing gaily to the tune of the bells. The neighbour next door, or the poet up the road, young and old alike, they all begin to sing as the bells draw near.

"Merry Merry Merry Merry Christmas! Merry Merry Merry Merry Christmas!" A claw and a scratch, a wooden door breaking apart. Oh, how they pound, raising the sound and deafening the bells, sacrifice the few. The bells draw away, and the children scream for their return, on and on they send, on without end, drawing further away but never leaving your ear for fear that you may not hear. Hark or they will draw closer. 

The beat of a wing, the bell ringer draws closer. She comes fast, she takes lightly but not in vain. She swoops down, the angel of Christmas. She takes the needles, she takes the breath and she returns for the carol of the bells.

Christmas is here.