The poem describes the sounds of different types of bells - silver sleigh bells, wedding bells, alarm bells, and tolling iron bells. For each set of bells, the poem explores the emotions and imagery that their sounds evoke, from merriment to terror to solemn reflection. The bells are portrayed as almost living entities, with anthropomorphized descriptions of their melodies, tones, and effects on the human heart. Overall, the poem uses bells as a motif to examine a range of human feelings.