Alfred Noyes

The Litany of War

    Sandalphon, whose white wings to heaven upbear
            The weight of human prayer,
    Stood silent in the still eternal Light
            Of God, one dreadful night.
    His wings were clogged with blood and foul with mire,
            His body seared with fire.
    "Hast thou no word for Me?" the Master said.
            The angel sank his head:

    "Word from the nations of the East and West,"
            He moaned, "that blood is best.
    The patriot prayers of either half of earth,
            Hear Thou, and judge their worth.
    Out of the obscene seas of slaughter, hear,
            First, the first nation's prayer:
    'O God, deliver Thy people. Let Thy sword
            Destroy our enemies, Lord!'

    "Pure as the first, as passionate in trust
            That their own cause is just;
    Puppets as fond in those dark hands of greed;
            As fervent in their creed;
    As blindly moved, as utterly betrayed,
            As urgent for Thine aid;
    Out of the obscene seas of slaughter, hear
            The second nation's prayer:
    'O God, deliver Thy people. Let Thy sword
            Destroy our enemies, Lord.'

    "Over their slaughtered children, one great cry
            From either enemy!
    From either host, thigh-deep in filth and shame,
            One prayer, one and the same;
    Out of the obscene seas of slaughter, hear,
            From East and West, one prayer:
    'O God, deliver Thy people. Let Thy sword
            Destroy our enemies, Lord.'"

    Then, on the Cross of His creative pain,
            God bowed His head again.
    Then, East and West, over all seas and lands,
            Out-stretched His piercèd hands.
    "And yet," Sandalphon whispered, "men deny
            The Eternal Calvary."