“There’s nothing,” said Toby, “more regular in its coming round than dinner-time, and nothing less regular in its coming round than dinner.”

Trotty Veck in The Chimes

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.

Ring Out, Wild Bells

Alfred, Lord Tennyson

Copyright © 2009 James T. Irvine

Ring Out, Wild Bells - the Poem

I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day - the Poem

Dickens’ Christmas

Trotty Veck, a Poor Ticket Porter print by Joseph Clayton

Midi: I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day

Series 2009

penultimate WORD Festivals of Light Series