<html xmlns:tei="http://www.tei-c.org/ns/1.0"><body><h1 align="center" class="head">A Prayer in Time of War</h1><p class="inline-note" xmlns:html="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40"> [The war will change many things in art and life, and among them, it is to be hoped, many of our own ideas as to what is, and what is not, "intellectual."] </p><div class="stanza"><p class="line"><span class="smallcaps">Thou</span>, whose deep ways are in the sea,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">Whose footsteps are not known,</p><p class="line">To-night a world that turned from Thee</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">Is waiting -- at Thy Throne.</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">The towering Babels that we raised</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">Where scoffing sophists brawl,</p><p class="line">The little Antichrists we praised --</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">The night is on them all.</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line" style="text-indent:%">The fool hath said... The fool hath said...</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">And we, who deemed him wise,</p><p class="line">We who believed that Thou wast dead,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">How should we seek Thine eyes?</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">How should we seek to Thee for power</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">Who scorned Thee yesterday?</p><p class="line">How should we kneel, in this dread hour?</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">Lord, teach us how to pray!</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">Grant us the single heart, once more,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">That mocks no sacred thing,</p><p class="line">The Sword of Truth our fathers wore</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">When Thou wast Lord and King.</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">Let darkness unto darkness tell</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">Our deep unspoken prayer,</p><p class="line">For, while our souls in darkness dwell,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">We know that Thou art there.</p></div><p class="byline">Alfred Noyes</p></body></html> · Great War