A Prayer In Pain

A Prayer in Pain
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Lord I beseech thee, not so sharp again:
I cannot suffer so and be thy child;
I am some brute thing, tortured, trapped and wild
Fighting the hands that would relive Its pain

I have known sorrow, Lord, and bless- ed thy name,
Standing upright, although I could not see
Because of tears-but still my soul was free
No crowd then, I merited no blame

But now, dear Lord my weak flesh shames me so,
I pray thee, ere from torture I grow dumb
Let thy bright angel with the sharp sword come
To slay me and Pain’s demons at one blow

This I ask In his name who once did shrink
From that too bitter cup they made him drink
-Emily Sargent Lewis in Lippen- cott’s