| Harriet Monroe, ed. (1860–1936). The New Poetry: An Anthology. 1917. |
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| 261. Prayer for Pain |
| | | By John G. Neihardt |
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| I DO not pray for peace nor ease, | |
| Nor truce from sorrow: | |
| No suppliant on servile knees | |
| Begs here against to-morrow! | |
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| Lean flame against lean flame we flash, | 5 |
| O Fates that meet me fair; | |
| Blue steel against blue steel we clash— | |
| Lay on, and I shall dare! | |
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| But Thou of deeps the awful Deep, | |
| Thou Breather in the clay, | 10 |
| Grant this my only prayer—Oh, keep | |
| My soul from turning gray! | |
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| For until now, whatever wrought | |
| Against my sweet desires, | |
| My days were smitten harps strung taut, | 15 |
| My nights were slumberous lyres. | |
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| And howsoe’er the hard blow rang | |
| Upon my battered shield, | |
| Some lark-like, soaring spirit sang | |
| Above my battle-field. | 20 |
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| And through my soul of stormy night | |
| The zigzag blue flame ran. | |
| I asked no odds—I fought my fight— | |
| Events against a man. | |
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| But now—at last—the gray mist chokes | 25 |
| And numbs me. Leave me pain! | |
| Oh, let me feel the biting strokes, | |
| That I may fight again! | |
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