My Cart 
Login 

This site exists for one purpose only: to help dispel the ugly and absolutely untrue myth that poetry is boring. Granted, a lot of poetry is boring, but you won't find it here. At Your Daily Poem, you'll find poetry that is touching, funny, provocative, inspiring, uplifting, and surprising. It may punch you in the gut, it may bring tears to your eyes, it may make you laugh out loud, but it most assuredly will not bore you!

Poetry on YDP—by poets living and long dead, famous to completely unknown--is specially selected for accessibility and appeal. Thanks so much for visiting—and remember: a poem a day keeps the doldrums away!


 



The Bells
by
Edgar Allan Poe

   I.

      Hear the sledges with the bells —
         Silver bells!
What a world of merriment their melody foretells!
    How they tinkle, tinkle, tinkle,
       In the icy air of night!
    While the stars that oversprinkle
    All the heavens, seem to twinkle
       With a crystalline delight;
      Keeping time, time, time,
      In a sort of Runic rhyme,
To the tintinnabulation that so musically wells
   From the bells, bells, bells, bells,
          Bells, bells, bells —
  From the jingling and the tinkling of the bells.


Excepted from "The Bells."
This poem is in the public domain.

 

 Edgar Allan Poe (1809 - 1849) was an American poet, journalist, and critic. Credited with inventing the detective story genre, he also played a significant a role in improving international copyright law and increasing wages for writers during the early 19th century. Though he published his first book at 18 and spent his entire professional life in one writing pursuit or another, Edgar didn't achieve widespread acclaim until "The Raven" was published in 1845. Even then, he continued to be plagued by the poverty and personal tragedy that makes his life read like one of his own tales. Edgar died at the age of 40, from causes still undetermined. Read more about his life here.

  



Post New Comment:
Darrell Arnold:
Do you think there was ever a better word for a rhymed and metered poem than "tintinnabulation?" I think not.
Posted 12/13/2025 08:38 AM
dotief@comcast.net:
Don't you just love it! "The tintinnabulation of the bells...." Poe is the master of meter, and this is one of his finest poems. I also love "The Raven" not only for the eerie content, but the magical measures of meter! Genius!
Posted 12/13/2010 08:34 AM
Contents of this web site and all original text and images therein are copyright © by Your Daily Poem. All rights reserved.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Purchasing books through any poet's Amazon links helps to support Your Daily Poem.
The material on this site may not be copied, reproduced, downloaded, distributed, transmitted, stored, altered, adapted,
or otherwise used in any way without the express written permission of the owner.