The following poem was found on the body of a Russian soldier killed in one of the fiercest battles with the Germans during World War II.
Listen, God… for never in my life before
Have I spoken with You, but today
I want to greet You. As You know,
From childhood I was always told
That You do not exist…
And I so stupidly believed it.
I never gazed at your creations, but tonight
I looked out from a crater dug by a grenade
At the starry sky above me; and I understood
Quite suddenly, while marveling at the lights,
How cruel a lie can be.
I don’t know, God, if You will stretch Your hand to me?
But I will tell You and You’ll understand –
Is it not marvelous that amid this fiery hell
I’ve suddenly seen the light of knowing You?
That’s all I have to say. Just one more thing…
I’m glad that I have come to know You.
At midnight we are set for an attack,
Yet I’m not scared: You’re looking down upon us.
The signal… Well, I must be off…
How wonderful to talk to You… And I just want to add
That, as You know, the battle will be fierce,
And so perhaps this very night
I will come knocking on Your door.
And though I have not been Your friend before,
Will you allow me to come in?…
But I am crying... O my God… You see,
My eyes have opened to the light.
Farewell, my God… I’m off… and hardly will return.
How strange… but death now holds no fear for me at all.