The Grunts Prayer

by Bohdan Sirant, 2012 04 04 (dedicated to Dr. Mary Naidu) The grunt lay there in his foxhole making himself small focused and mindful listening for snapping twigs rustling of branches, straining to see shifting shapes and slithering silhouettes peering at ominous patterns into the dark underbrush scanning for skulking Charlies who would soon be testing the position that night He sniffed the hot and humid breezes for any tell-tale scent of Charlie coming downwind His eyes played tricks on him And sweat ran down his face sweat that would sting his eyes salty sweat he could taste sweat he would wipe away very slowly He lay still like a sloth or chameleon or a viper moving only when absolutely necessary and as slowly as possible His thoughts wandered but he was determined though dead tired to stay alert as alert as he could be until at last he was relieved by a fellow grunt who now had the watch He hung back and while keeping his buddy company and awake marveled at the Milky Way and thought up another prayer

Our Father and Mother, Higher Power, Almighty God Primordial Source, and Lord Divine Progenitor, Preserver Saviour, Provider, Creator Timeless Being, Supreme Cosmic Spirit Giver, Lover, Benefactor Divine Engineer and Architect, Miraculous Healer, Great Mystery Master of all Forces and Energies of the Universe and Multiverse and of All Things Known, Unknown and Unknowable who appears in all manifestations from those darker than the deepest mine, to those brighter than a billion suns who art both in heaven, and here on earth beside me, and everywhere in every atom of these razor grasses, those thick bamboos, creaping jungle creatures damned mosquitoes and squirming leeches burning temple sparks and raging napalm gasses and faintest stars above beyond the imagination beyond infinity beyond time Hallowed be thy Name, and all the names that have ever been given to Thee by all peoples of all times, --including those fearful villagers who worship Buddha and Forest Gods Spring God, River Lord, Mountain God, Forest Lord, Tree God, And so many other manifestations of you--and peoples who are no more, and those who have yet to be Thy Kingdoms thy realms of the mind and wellbeing have come,

are here and now, and will always be here for those who seek them and know how to find them within Thy will shall ever be done on earth, As it is has been in heaven as it is done now, and always will be done Especially here and now in this green hell of a jungle Give us this day our daily bread, and at least the bare necessities ammo, cigarettes and favorite rations chile con carne or beans and frankfurters with fruit cocktail and pound cake-to survive this fight. And forgive us our inevitable trespasses, This is a war after all and compared to Thee we are imperfect and weak Forgive us as we, at least many of us, shall forgive them, or at least most of them that trespass against us including Monsieur Victor Charles who is hell-bent on killing us as we are him Forgive us for what we must do under these warring conditions in this leafy inferno And lead us not into temptation to kill for the thrill or to escape in lusts, intoxications and dreadful addictions And deliver us from all evils Especially of selfish callousness blind revenge and hatred Let us be true and honorable warriors

courageous, competent, committed, considerate, courteous, and candid and mindful of Thee May we be empathic and compassionate For Thine is the eternal plan For Thine is the kingdom, For Thine is the power to create and sustain life, and for Thine is the glory, not only until the last grateful human breathes their final sorry breath with Thy Name on their lips But afterwards may Thou be glorified As the Divine Giver of Life by mankinds successors and by sentient beings who will have evolved to think of and glorify Thee throughout the multiverse For ever and ever. Amen. He then nudged his buddy And signaled that he was going to sleep