Elizabeth Connor: This World War

====

Anti-war essays, poems, short stories and literary excerpts

American writers on peace and against war

Women writers on peace and war

====

Elizabeth Connor
This World War

Why this tragedy and blood shed,
For pow’r to hold full sway
O’er the lives of men and nations?
Lives, nations, what care they?
Sown broadcast over this fair earth
Pride and greed caused it all,
But right, not might, will conquer yet,
For pride and greed must fall.

What blasphemy to say that God
Is with such sinful deeds,
No, God is love, and all that’s just,
From him all good proceeds;
Peace he proclaimed, good will to men,
Is that what we see now?
Nay, rather hatred and ill will,
To gold and pow’r they bow.

Stop, despot in your carnage bold,
Pause, think, ere ’tis too late;
For what are you but dust and clay,
Stop, think, of your sad fate;
Where is the soul God gave to you?
With avarice consumed,
Just for today; but tomorrow
What awaits thee, when doomed?