Robert Bridges (1844 - 1930) was a British Poet and poet laureate from 1913 to 1930. Born in Kent and educated at Eton College, Bridges studied medicine at St Bartholomew’s Hospital where he intended to practice until the age of forty when he would retire and write poetry. Despite being made poet laureate, Bridges was never a well known poet and only achieved his great popularity shortly before his death with the Testament of Beauty.

A frosty Christmas Eve when the stars were shining
Fared I forth alone where westward falls the hill
And from many a village in the water’d valley
Distant music reached me peals of bells a-ringing:
The constellated sounds ran sprinkling on earth’s floor
As the dark vault above with stars was spangled o’er.

Then sped my thought to keep that first Christmas of all
When the shepherds watching by their folds ere the dawn
Heard music in the fields and marvelling could not tell
Whether it were angels or the bright stars singing.

Now blessed be the towers that crown England so fair
That stand up strong in prayer unto God for our souls:
Blessed be their founders (said I) and our country-folk
Who are ringing for Christ in the belfries to-night
With arms lifted to clutch the rattling ropes thar race
Into the dark above and the mad romping din.

But to me heard afar it was heav’nly music
Angels’ song comforting as the comfort of Christ
When he spake tenderly to his sorrowful flock:
The old words came to me by the riches of time
Mellow’d and transfigured as I stood on the hill
Hark’ning in the aspect of th’ eternal silence.