The Ballad of Calnan’s Christmas

When you hear the fire-gongs beat fierce along the startled street,See the great-limbed horses bound, and the gleaming engine sway,And the driver in his place, with his fixed, heroic face,Say a prayer for Calnan’s sake--he that died on Christmas day!

Cling! Cling! Each to his station!Clang! Clang! Quick to clear the way!(Christ keep the soldiers of salvation,Fighting nameless battles in the war of every day!)

In the morning, blue and mild, of the Mother and the Child,While the blessed bells were calling, thrilled the summons throughthe wire;In the morning, blue and mild, for a woman and a childDied a man of gentle will, plunging on to fight the fire.

Ring, swing, bells in the steeple!Ring the Child and ring the Star, as sweetly as ye may!Ring, swing, bells, to tell the peopleGod’s goodwill to earthly men, the men of every day!

“Thirty-four” swung out agleam, with her mighty, bounding team;Horses’ honour pricked them on, and they leaped as at a goad;Jimmy Calnan in his place, with his clean-cut Irish face,Iron hands upon the reins, eyes astrain upon the road.

Clang! Clang! Quick to clear the way!(Sweetly rang, above the clang, the bells of Christmas day.)

Tearing, plunging through the din, scarce a man can hold them in;None on earth could pull them short: Mary Mother, guard from harmYonder woman straight ahead, stony-still with sudden dread,And the little woman-child, with her waxen child in arm!

Oh, God’s calls, how swift they are! Oh, the Cross that hides theStar!Oh, the fire-gong beating fierce through the bells of Christmasday!Just a second there to choose, and a life to keep or lose--To the curb he swung the horses, and he flung his life away!

Ring, swing, bells in the steeple!Ring the Star and ring the Cross, for Star and Cross are one!Ring, swing, bells, to tell the peopleGod is pleased with manly men, and deeds that they have done!