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 out (ring out) ring out (ring out) Ring out (ring out) ring out (ring out) Ring out, wild bells, oh, ring out Ring out wild bells, oh, ring out Ring, oh ring Ring, oh ring 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.

The laurel leaves Stay evergreen As they greet the darkening days While the mountains grow bare In the Catskill air Above the river that runs both ways And there’s ice… floating on the Hudson Sailing down the river Underneath the bridge Now winter is come Let us beat the drum And call all our neighbors together And when they appear Let us bring them such cheer To keep out the wind and the weather And the moon… high above the Hudson Mirrored on the water Guides us ‘cross the bridge From Bear Mountain to Mid-Hudson Newburgh-Beacon in between Rip van Winkle, Kingston-Rhinecliff And the Tappan Zee… I see lights… glist’ning on the Hudson Brightening the valley Gilding every bridge Throw open every door Unlock every heart For Christmas has come to the valley And there’s snow… falling on the Hudson Covering the mountains Dusting every bridge

Someone left little Joseph near the piano And he's always wanted to try it He plays all the notes that don't go well together And a few that know each other well His moms in the bathroom And dads in a book So Joseph just keeps on playing Joseph just keep on playing He remembers a song from when he was asleep His mother singing her lullaby Her notes swim through his room each and every night And join him when he is asleep He tries to play the notes in the melody But most of them don't come out right Most of them don't come out right When everything is bigger than you Don't try to be bigger too When everything seems strange and everything's brand new Don’t worry about playing out of tune Don't worry about playing out of tune It's getting late but no one seems to notice Little Joseph sitting at that bench He’s consumed with the sound of the melody And everything else fades away He hits a few more keys He likes how they sound So he just keeps on playing Joseph just keep on playing When everything is bigger than you Don't try to be bigger too When everything seems strange and everything's brand new Don’t worry about playing out of tune Don't worry about playing out of tune

Lord I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof But only say the word and my soul shall be healed

So here is the stable and there is the manger The new savior sleeps on his first earthly night The wise men brought riches but we brought a candle It's all that we have but it gives a good light We are the shepherds we walked cross the mountains We left our flocks when the new star appeared Oh the beautiful singin' of heavenly choir We had to come see him we had to come here We beg you forgive us for such a small offering But our sheep are out there with wolves in the night We bring you this candle it's all we have with us But with it the new savior has his first light We are the shepherds we walked cross the mountains We left our flocks when the new star appeared Oh the beautiful singin' of heavenly choir We had to come see him we had to come here We thank Thee kind Joseph for bidding us enter Please take our gift for the new babe to thine It's only one candle but it is our symbol Of how we believe that his great life will shine We are the shepherds we walked cross the mountains We left our flocks when the new star appeared Oh the beautiful singin' of heavenly choir We had to come see him we had to come here

Before there was a Christmas Before there was a manger Shepherds lay in their fields by night Complaining about the weather They said “Persephone’s gone To the underworld Eating pomegranate seeds While we huddle for warmth And Boreas blows an icy wind From the northern lands While we’re growing thin” When King Herod was the boss And Rome was a first-rate oppressor Wise men convened with their dusty tomes Complaining about the weather They said “Persephone’s gone To the underworld Eating pomegranate seeds While we huddle for warmth And Boreas blows an icy wind From the northern lands While we’re growing thin” Meanwhile on the chilly hillside The shepherds received some great news From an angel who said, “you need not be afraid” But who scared all the lambs, rams, and ewes And back in that stuffy library The wise men discovered a star In their great wisdom, they followed its path But their camels had no idea it was gonna be so far They said “Persephone’s gone To the underworld Eating pomegranate seeds While we huddle for warmth And Boreas blows an icy wind From the northern lands While we’re growing thin” The shepherds and the wise men Met a baby so strangely attired Yet they knew he was something; that he’d change the world But thank goodness - Joseph lit a fire Mostly, I’m just kidding We don’t even know Jesus was born in December (evidence points to the contrary) But when the winter looks forbidding (yes I know they didn’t visit Jesus at the same time, bear with me) And I wonder if they asked him Why the winter’s so cold And the frosty air blows And the nights are so dark While the days are so short Jesus couldn’t talk yet But if he had, he might have said To everything there is a season The cold times, and the sweaty Sometimes we must light a fire in the dark But sometimes we just need to complain about the weather

She’s left some crumbs in the kitchen tonight I’ll go and clean them up I leave my hole in the wall With an empty plate and cup This house is still and silent at night Asleep like the quiet girl It’s peaceful and I always feel free Dancing toward dinner in whirls and twirls I may be a mouse, small and afraid Unsure of the words to say I may live alone in a dark and cramped wall But every night I dance through the hall When I round the corner to the kitchen I see Something strange and new A flash of a cow, blurred black and white A lingering, echoing moo And tonight he sings moo