Slowly fall the snowflakes

Slowly fall the snowflakes, clothing earth in white,
Sweetly bells are chiming, on this Christmas night;
Dark the earth aforetime, white on Christmas morn;
Christ the curse reversing�Mary�s Son is born.

Slowly fall the snowflakes, virgin-white the sod,
In the chill descending, like the grace of God;
Wild the varied chimings, one tale only tell�
Lies in Bethlehem�s manger great Emmanuel.

Slowly fall the snowflakes, hang the holly high,
Bright its berries greeting God Incarnate nigh;
Dark the earth no longer, barren nevermore,
Grace-flowers spring to blossom on th�eternal shore.