ABRAHAM WAS LISTENING
words and music (c) 1998 Nancy E. Abrams

He climbed the desert mountain
The child's hand in his own
Sun burned hot on their darkened skin
As their sandals hit the stones
He wore a knife and looked straight ahead
When the boy said, "I don't see
What are we going to sacrifice?
We brought no goat or sheep"

He gripped the boy's hand harder
And kept his lips shut tight
Sweat and terror poured from him
Obsessed with the holy rite
His legs could barely move now
Too soon they reached the top
He raised the knife to kill his son
When he heard a voice say, "Stop!"

   In the mind is the Tower of Babel
      Voices echo long and loud
         Blessed is the moment when your
            Still, small voice rises above the crowd
Abraham was listening
Abraham was awake
When the word "Stop" took flight in him
                His refusal was the daybreak

Nothing unusual in sacrificing boys
They're offered by the millions in war
Nothing unusual in obeying gods
That command what's been done before
Nothing unusual in sacrificing girls
On the altar of the all-male man
"Stop!" said the voice, and Abraham stopped!
That moment a great hope began

   Abraham was listening
   Abraham was awake
   When the word "Stop" took flight in him
   His refusal was the daybreak
            In the mind is the Tower of Babel
               Voices echo long and loud
                  Blessed is the moment when your
                     Still, small voice rises above the crowd