Alfred Tennyson, 1st Baron Tennyson (August 6, 1809 – October 6, 1892) was one of the most popular English poets of his time. Much of his verse was based on classical or mythological themes.
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(See/print audio script) (pdf doc)
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 rhymes,
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 darkenss of the land,
Ring in the Christ that is to be.
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Write a poem or a story about New Year. Send it to us.
New Beginnings
This year I resolve to keep my resolutions.
I’ll put them in my note book,
right at the front, written clear
so every time make a note, never fear,
I will see the resolutions written there.
This year I resolve to keep my car clean,
inside and out, buffed to a shine
and put it away, every day
so that I am not ashamed of the outside grime
or inside crumbs,
(it’s the children’s mess as well as Mum’s.)
This year I resolve to deal with the post,
as it arrives,
I will not put it to one side,
or let it gather in a heap,
I will not delay the decision ‘bin or keep?’
‘respond or ignore?’ any more.
This year I resolve to check my bank balance
as soon as the statements come,
to keep the office sorted,
to earn more and to get fit, just a little bit,
and last, but not least,
I resolve to be less ‘sergeant major-ish’
with the boys,
(or at least not to shout at them when I trip over their toys)
Oh! and I nearly forgot,
I promise to clean out the fish tank
sometime.
So far this year I have written my New Year resolutions
into my new note book. (Tick)
And the car has been washed and polished (Tick)
though the subsequent rain has demolished the sheen,
and I have let the boys eat snacks in the back
so now it needs another major attack, with the vac.
And the post has been dealt with I suppose,
though the addition of a tray marked ‘pending’
has been lending a false impression,
as that’s more or less full, and I’ve lost sight of the electricity bill
(don’t say anything yet, as no-one else knows.)
And my bank statement was easy: it was empty,
and the office, as yet, is not untidier than last year,
and I have attended circuit training once
and been swimming, twice
on that front I’m winning, though shattered.
But I’m earning less,
and I have failed the test in my efforts to become
a better mum, the one resolution that really matters:
I lasted till the 3rd, when I found
Blu-tac ground into the carpet for the second time,
I expect you heard…
that resolution’s in tatters.
Oh, and the fish are bathing in green slime.
This year I resolve to keep my resolutions.
I’ll put them in my note book,
right at the front, written clear
so every time I make a note, never fear,
I will see the resolutions written there.
by Sarah J Bryson
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New year, new hope
New year, new hope
To some optimistic fool,
But to a poor soul
Of threadbare robes
Old despair and woes...
Year in and year out
Working hard to the bone
Striving for some boon,
Living hand-to-mouth...
New year indeed
But to the poor, it's another year in need.
by Mae Ester Guiamadel
Happy New Year!
People wish me happiness
as I go walking,
And I think they have gone mad.
But the more I walk,
the more I keep on thinking
that it’s Christmas Eve,
that a new year is coming.
And so that is the reason
why they don’t wish me happiness
at another time of the year.
So maybe it’s me
the wolf in a sheep’s clothing,
as far as I wish the whole world could be happy,
at least,
for one whole year.
by María Belén Ballesta
Ahmed L. from Algeria writes “The poem could bring our minds and souls to a state of peace and happiness. The new year, as far as I am concerned, rouses a lot of people to action in order to change their ways by its appeal.”
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New year poem
Explain to me
Why the ladies prefer the bad guys
Why Ricky Martin is rich and Amadeus Mozart was poor
Why do you see reality better with closed eyes?
Why isn’t New Year's Day Jesus Christ's birthday?
Eric Ramirez Rodriguez
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