The oldest sons count
as patriarchs from Adam
Seth and Enos to Methuselah

Cain is a different story
from a time when there were more people
more women to get married

It is the story of the sacrifice
that was rejected
as if God did not exist

so that Cain lost his faith
and mourned for that
and God was sorry

so He forbade to kill him
and other unbelievers
you shall not kill a human being

Moses chiseled in two stones
which he smashed immediately
to teach the people a lesson

with the seething murder
of 3000 men, the blood sticks
to the priests forever

but they had every right
because God wanted
to do it Himself

     Boots, your size, laundry basket and soap
     each his own soap, your body
     is a temple, your hand is God's

She is crying wildly in front of us
in a nightgown, her hair tousled
Barefoot she wants to stop me

     Here, take the book, guard it
     with your life, your gun and the bullet
     belts. Exercise!

Her family is hiding, I think
Beware, before it's too late
I must... Is she coming closer?

     Headscarves, every morning
     a box of clean clothes and ammunition
     Get ready for training

Must I shoot, is it true?
Are the clean hands for others?
Forget about the mess, be proud!

     You turn in the laundry before the appeal
     That's it, the rest comes later
     We start with prayer

Which of us did it? Where
is the heavenly light, the blessing on the silence
on the debris and the blood in the sand?