Nachfolge

In one hand, tongues of fire,
and in the other a knife of
bronze, and at your side, your
son, Isaac, the child of the
promise. Your aged fingers have
no feeling, your wrinkled feet
drag and drag. You have named
him, in your heart, the lamb
of slaughter and the price of
God. The seed of your flesh,
the heir of the covenant, the
pledge of the Almighty- and
will he die? Do you dream
that God might turn aside, relent?
Know that God is not like man,
will not change, will not turn.
This you know in your soul and
cannot doubt. Isaac, the son of
laughter, will die this day.
Behold, the fire and the knife.