Bells, With Apologies to Ed Poe

I have many, many wonderful memories of Switzerland, one of which struck me very early during my experience there. It was bells. I lived in Morges, a small village between Geneva and Lausanne, and my first room was located across the street from the Catholic Church and down the street from the Presbyterian Church. They both tolled the hours -- and the quarter hours with bells 24 hours a day.

BELLS, WITH APOLOGIES TO ED POE
By Henry David Rosso
In the clear, crisp, cool air of a Swiss night
A church bell peals the hour
Four A.M.
Bong Bong Bong Bong

Bells in towns and villages nearby
Take up the tolling
Some overlapping
BoBong BoBong BoBongBoBong

The more distant churches
Squeeze into the night air
Their bells strong at home, but thinned by space
Bing Bing Bing Bing

In the center of Morges
Resting on the shores of Lac Leman
The bells of the Catholic and Presbyterian churches
Vie for attention, one followed quickly by the other.

The big city churches sound every quarter hour
Two quick peals — bongbong -- for each quarter
At 4 A.M. they announce bongbong bongbong bongbong bongbong
Bong Bong Bong Bong

Bells sing praises
Cry in mourning,
Dance with happiness
Ring in new years

Announce victories
Celebrate weddings
Count cadence at funerals
Signal naval watches

The same bells that lift spirits
Pain hearts
Signal alarms
Wear heavy on souls

A tiny bell on an altar
Tinkles through incensed smoke
Bringing parishioners to their knees
To pray for whatever purpose

Bells beckon servants to service
Signal classes to change
Open the stock market
Sound warnings at train crossings

A tall, thin woman dressed in black leans far over
She speaks to the young boy
He raises his hand to salute
While a grieving nation watches
Bong
Bong
Bong
Bong

And the caissons go rolling
Carrying the flag-draped coffin
As bells that cry for joy
Now stir a nation to tears

Ma Bell, Taco Bell, Carol of the Bells
Jingle Bells, Liberty Bell
For Whom the Bell Tolls
Saved by the Bell

Alexander Graham Bell
Catherine Bell
Tinker Bell
Christmas bells
Hells Bells

Thomas Paine didn’t like bells
In 1797 he condemned them as a public nuisance
The noise of bells, he said
Increase the distress of the sick

Cows, sheep and horses
Display no distress
Munching and lolling
Bells clanging around their necks

Cows don’t eat around the Salvation Army
Merry Christmas jinglejinglejingle
JinglejinglejingleQUIET
Jingle