Judge — May 25, 1918 — page 3: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# "The Rookie's Prayer" This is a World War I poem by Private Lawrence Minor Connolly from the 1st Ammunition Train, Camp Hancock, Augusta, Georgia. The illustration by Charles Sarka shows a young soldier standing resolute on a battlefield, silhouetted against clouds of smoke and explosions. The poem presents a new recruit's raw, honest prayer—mixing fear with determination. The soldier is exhausted from training (blistered feet, aching arms) but resolves to endure combat without complaint. The refrain "Just give me nerve and I won't ask more" captures the modest hope of an inexperienced soldier facing the unknown horrors of trench warfare. The piece validates soldiers' suffering while celebrating their stoic courage, appearing designed to boost morale or honor enlisted men's sacrifices during WWI.