The Binding

They had buckled his bomb-

belt. Thought it their duty,

headed for the place.

Half-way he said, I don´t want to die.

Stuck to it. They turned

to the road on which they had come.

Ishmael who spared himself,

and Isaac.

With shocked relief his parents saw

him back safe from the height of Moriah´s

mount. Held him, and kept him closely watched.

They wait for the God of Abraham

to provide a sacrifice.

Pem Sluijter

Translated by: Pem Sluijter, Shirley Kaufman and David Dunham.

From: Het licht van Attika (The Light of Attica)

Arbeiderspers, Amsterdam 2004