I heard the bells on Christmas dayTheir old familiar carols play,And wild and sweet the words repeatOf peace on earth, good will to men.You’re probably familiar with these words from the Christmas carol “I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day.” The words for this popular carol actually come from a poem penned by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow during a time of hopelessness for Longfellow and for the United States of America.In 1861, as you know, the conflict between the North and South escalated into a war which pitted countrymen against each other in a struggle for freedom and equality. During this time of war, our nation descended into the darkest period of its existence previous to that point and ever since.In the face of this overwhelming national crisis, Longfellow met with tragedy in his own life.