War and Love/Prayer (2)

by Richard Aldington

For works with similar titles, see Prayer.

 

PRAYER

Lord and father of life,
Of death and of bitter weeping,
One or many, pitiful or cruel,
Hear me, my prayer beating
Like rain importunately, without intermission,
For life, for a little life.

Lord, you know not her or love
If you let death take me,
I will speak outright:
No God, no nation, no cause,
No life of any man, no person,
Nothing created or living,
Do I love as I love her.

I do not ask you for her—
No god can take her from me,
Take her kisses and lithe body.
I ask life, a few years
To pour out for her,
Until she tires of me
Or age loosens her sinews
And I be no more delightful to her.

Her body is honey and wheat,
The taste of her mouth delicate;
Her eyes overcome me with desire,
Her lips are a woman's.
Under her feet I spread my days
As soft silk for her walking.

She touches me with her hands
And I am faint with beauty.
The embraces of her body are wonderful,
They are more to me than wisdom or honours.

Therefore I am not willing to die
Since she needs me.
For her sake I would betray my comrades,
I would rend the vesture of the most high!

Yet if you are so avid of blood
That even she cannot move you,
Poor God without a lover,
Slay us together, mouth to mouth and happy,
And we will thank not curse you.