Belleau Wood

Garth Brooks


About Garth Brooks

Troyal Garth Brooks (born 1962) is an American singer and songwriter. He is known for integrating elements from the rock and roll genre of music with country music. He is one of the world's best-selling artists of all time with his music having sold more than 160 million records. Some of his most successful music albums include Garth Brooks, No Fences, Ropin' the Wind, The Hits and Sevens, In a career spanning more than thirty years, Brooks has received numerous accolades, including 22 Academy of Country Music Awards, 12 American Music Awards and 2 Grammy Awards, among many others.

Oh, the snowflakes fell in silence
Over Belleau Wood that night
For a Christmas truce had been declared
By both sides of the fight
As we lay there in our trenches
The silence broke in two
By a German soldier singing
A song that we all know

Though I did know the language
The song was 'Silent Night'
Then I heard my buddy whisper,
'All is calm and all is bright'
Then the fear and doubt surrounded me
'Cause I'd die if I was wrong
But I stood up in my trench
And I began to sing along
Then across the frozen battlefield
Another's voice joined in 
Until one by one each man became
A singer of the hymn

Then I thought that I was dreaming
For right there in my sight
Stood the German soldier
'Neath the falling flakes of white
And he raised his hand and smiled at me
As if he seemed to say
Here's hoping we both live
To see us find a better way

Then the devil's clock struck midnight
And the skies lit up again
And the battlefield Where heaven stood
Was blown to hell again
But for just one fleeting moment
The answer seemed so clean
Heaven's not beyond the clouds
It's for us to find it here

Available Answers

  1. 1.
    What is the setting of the poem?
  2. 2.
    What time of the year does the event take place?
  3. 3.

    What do the words 'snowflakes fell in silence' imply?

  4. 4.
    What did the speaker do after hearing the song?
  5. 5.
    Does the poem end on an optimistic note? Give a reason for your answer.
  6. 6.

    Though I did not know the language
    The song was 'Silent Night'

    1. What language was thee song sung in?
    2. Was the soldier who sang the song from the same side of the war as the speaker?
    3. What helped the speaker understand the song?
6 more answer(s) available.

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