Man did not heed the cloud, br the cloud looking like the hand of man br and I saw lightning falling from the sky br and it was manmade, br thunder that exploded in flame br came down and down again br br and in the dark clouds of death br the sun was blotted out br the bright cobalt sky was torn away br and men died as if being dolls made of clay br br but on the hands of the living br the marks, the shadow of Cain remained br as killers of fellow men, slaughters in war br of a enemy br decided by politicians br whose hands were covered in blood br br and these soldiers were young once, br only boys just out of school, br whose manhood, humanity had been stolen br and now were bomb happy br half crazy soldiers br who wanted nothing more than peace, br who needed tranquillity br and on their knees knelt to the living God br and sought his presence br while coming back from the bush, br from war, the fires of hell br br begging forgiveness for taking killing shots, br for launching rockets, mortars br and throwing grenades to remain living br and was now torn in body and soul br and never complacent br offering their lives to the Greatest of generals br not knowing how to dispel br their own suffering, memories br and overpowering guilt br that made some weep br br and they trusted br that the gates of hell br and eternal damnation br would be smothered, quenched br by the blood of the One br who died for all br knowing that He did not die in vain br and offering Him the pain, br standing in His shadow br as mortal men br true to the living king br when the day of Judgement comes br as did the thief on the cross. br br [Reference: The Shadow Of Cain by Edith Sitwell.