Joseph S. Cotter, Jr., "O Little David, Play on Your Harp" (1918)
O LITTLE DAVID, PLAY ON YOUR HARP
O Little David, play on your harp,
That ivory harp with the golden strings
And sing as you did in Jewry Land,
Of the Prince of Peace and the God of Love
And the Coming Christ Immanuel.
O Little David, play on your harp.
A seething world is gone stark mad;
And is drunk with the blood,
Gorged with the flesh,
Blinded with the ashes
Of her millions of dead.
From out it all and over all
There stands, years old and fully grown,
A monster in the guise of man.
He is of war and not of war;
Born in peace,
Nutured in arrogant pride and greed,
World-creature is he and native to no land.
And war itself is merciful
When measured by his deeds.
Beneath the
Crescent Lie a people maimed;
Their only sin —
That they worship God.
On Russia's steppes
Is a race in tears;
Their one offense —
That they would be themselves.
On Flanders plains
Is a nation raped; A bleeding gift
Of "Kultur's" conquering creed.
And in every land
Are black folk scourged;
Their only crime —
That they dare be men.
O Little David, play on your harp,
That ivory harp with the golden strings;
And psalm anew your songs of Peace,
Of the soothing calm of a Brotherly Love,
And the saving grace of a Mighty God.
O Little David, play on your harp.
Published in The Band of Gideon And Other Poems (1918)
Also appears in Constance Ruzich, Ed. International poetry of the First World War: An Anthology of Lost Voices (2021)