The War Prayer

O Lord, Our God,
help us
to tear their soldiers
to bloody shreds
with out shells,
help us
to cover their smiling fields
with the pale forms
of their patriot dead;
help us
to drown the thunder
of the guns
with the shrieks
of their wounded,
writhing in pain;
help us
to lay waste
their humble homes
with a hurricane of fire;
help us
to wring the hearts
of their unoffending widows
with unavailing grief;...

for our sakes
whoi adroe Thee, Lord
blast their hopes,
blight their lives,...

We ask it
in the spirit of love,
of Him who is the Source of Love...

Amen

(Excerpts, written during the American-Philippine war in the first decade of the twentieth century by Mark Twain. Read the whole thing. It's short, and an interesting read!)