Lee Boek

WAR PRAYER

by Mark Twain

"O Lord our Father, our young patriots, idols of our hearts, go forth to battle-be Thou near them! With them, in spirit, we also go forth from the sweet peace of our beloved firesides to smite the foe. O Lord our God, help us to tear their soldiers to bloody shreds with our 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; help us to turn them out roofless with their little children to wander unfriended the wastes of their desolated land in rags and hunger and thirst, sports of the sun flames of summer and the icy winds of winter, broken in spirit, worn with travail, imploring Thee for the refuge of the grave and denied it-for our sakes who adore Thee, Lord, blast their hopes, blight their lives, protract their bitter pilgrimage, make heavy their steps, water their way with their tears, stain the white snow with the blood of their wounded feet! We ask it, in the spirit of love, of Him Who is the Source of Love, and Who is ever-faithful refuge and friend of all that are sore beset and seek His aid with humble and contrite hearts. Amen.





Big Battle
As sung by Johnny Cash


I think sir the battle is over 
  and the young soldier laid down his gun.
I’m tired of running for cover. 
I’m certain the battle is done.
For see over there where we fought them, 
  it’s quiet for they’ve all gone away
All left is the dead and the dying, 
  the Blue laying next to the Gray.
So you think the battle is over 
  and you even lay down your gun.
You carelessly rise from your cover 
  for you think the battle is done.
Now boy hit the dirt, listen to me, 
  for I’m still the one in command
Get flat on the ground here beside me 
  and lay your ear hard to the sand
Can you hear the deafening rumble? 
Can you feel the trembling ground?
It’s not just the horses and wagons 
  that make such a deafening sound
For every shot fired had an echo 
  and every man killed wanted life
There lays you friend Jim McKinney, 
Can you take the news to his wife?
No son, the battles not over 
  the battle has only begun
The rest of the battle will cover 
  the part that has blackened the Sun.
The fight yet to come’s not with cannon 
  nor will the fight be hand to hand
No one will regroup the forces, 
  no charge will a general command.
The battle will rage in the bosom of mother 
  and sweetheart and wife
Brother and sister and daughter 
  will grieve for the rest of their lives
Now go ahead rise from your cover 
  be thankful that God let you live
Go fight the rest of the battle 
  for those who gave all they could give
I see sir the battle’s not over, 
  the battle has only begun
The rest of the battle will cover 
  the part that has darkened the Sun
For though there’s no sound of the cannon 
  and though there’s not smoke in the sky
I’m dropping the gun and the saber 
  and ready for battle am I.