Prayer Before Birth (Louis MacNiece)

I am not yet born, console me,
I fear that the human race
may with tall walls wall me,
with strong drugs dope me, with wise lies lure me,
on black racks rack me, in blood baths roll me.

I am not yet born; provide me,
with water to dandle me,
grass to grow for me,
trees to talk to me,
sky to sing to me,
birds and a white light
In the back of my mind to guide me..

I am not yet born; Oh fill me ,
With strength against those who would freeze my humanity,
would dragoon me into a lethal automaton,
would make me a cog in a machine,
a thing with one face, a thing.
and against all those
who would dissipate my entirety, would blow
me like thistledown, hither and thither, or hither
and thither, like water held in the hands
would spill me.

Let them not drill me,
Let them not spill me.
Otherwise
Kill me.