Why?
Did you ever waken at midnight
And hear, in the pause of the strife,
The groaning of millions and millions
Who are fighting the battle of life?
And hear, in the pause of the strife,
The groaning of millions and millions
Who are fighting the battle of life?
Oh, the prayers that ascend unto Heaven,
The tears that the anguished let fall,
The suffering hid by the darkness,
E'en the heart of mankind might appall.
The tears that the anguished let fall,
The suffering hid by the darkness,
E'en the heart of mankind might appall.
But the wounds are hidden, though bleeding,
As they rise again to the fray,
And battle, oh bravely they battle
Throughout the broad light of day.
As they rise again to the fray,
And battle, oh bravely they battle
Throughout the broad light of day.
It is true some are dead, some are dying,
But our lessons of warfare we con;
And the fallen ones soon are forgotten,
As the battle goes merrily on.
But our lessons of warfare we con;
And the fallen ones soon are forgotten,
As the battle goes merrily on.
With what haste we succor our brother
When India's famine is sore,
When flood or fire has been sweeping
Our own American shore.
When India's famine is sore,
When flood or fire has been sweeping
Our own American shore.
Then why are we hurting each other?
And why this suffering dire?
More far reaching, terrible even,
Than havoc of famine or fire.
And why this suffering dire?
More far reaching, terrible even,
Than havoc of famine or fire.
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