If Christ rose not

If it be all for nought, for nothingness
At last, why does God make the world so fair?
Why spill this golden splendour out across
The western hills, and light the silver land
Of eve? Why give me eyes to see, and soul
To love so strong and deep? Then with a pang
This brightness stabs me through, and makes within
Rebellious voice to cry against all death?
Why set this hunger for eternity
To gnaw my heart strings through if death ends all?
If death ends all, then evil must be good,
Wrong must be right, and beauty ugliness.
God is a Judas who betrays his son
And with a kiss, damns all the world to hell -
If Christ rose not again.

By an unknown soldier killed in World War I