Search
  • Music
  • Song Index
  • Curriculum
  • Store
  • Events
  • About
  • Contact
  • My Account
Newsletter
  • Music
  • Song Index
  • Curriculum
  • Store
  • Events
  • About
  • Contact
Menu
Search
My Account

Lost password ?

0

Chayei Sarah

March 24th 2016
by Stacey Zisook Robinson
I followed you
Through vast deserts and over mountains
Into lush valleys
and across years
I followed you
Though you did not follow me,
Offering me instead to strangers
and angels
I followed you
Into the desert, empty and sere–
Sterile as my womb,
While you built altars
to your God.
And I laughed
And lied
And sent my Handmaid to your bed
To please you
And appease you.
And still I followed you.
I followed you,
Sacrificed my royalty for you,
Watched a Handmaid’s child
Claim a nation
And felt my womb quicken.
Even after
I followed you
And laughed at God
And lied–
I felt my womb quicken!
And so I followed you
Drank at your wells
and prayed at your altars
Built to please and appease
your God.
And you walked through oceans of sand,
Knelt in fertile crescents
Rich and lush as life itself,
Traversed mountains
At the whim of your God.
At the command of God
And on the last mountain
I did not follow.
I watched you walk away,
Walk up that mountain
With our son at your side.
Our son–
Whose life had quickened my womb;
Whose heart had beat in tandem with mine;
Whose hand I held and body I cradled,
Whose fears I eased
And tears I dried–
I did not follow you
While you sacrificed our son
Until the angel stayed your hand.
I will not follow
Build a nation and altars to God.
I have drunk at your wells,
And laughed,
And lied;
And watched you walk away,
Watched my son follow you
Up that mountain
Knife in his hand,
The sun silver against that sharpened blade.
He followed,
Your sacrifice
My son.
And so I will not follow
I will remain.
Keep your altars
and your God
I am your sacrifice
And I —
I will not follow.
Originally published on the author’s blog.

Share this:

  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
Share Post

Comments are closed

Search Gallery

  • Category

  • Character

Ⓒ 2023 Girls In Trouble Music - FAQ - Privacy Policy - Terms and Conditions - Disclaimer

Monthly letters from Alicia,
straight to your inbox.

Join Alicia’s mailing list for a free mp3 download, and once-a-month love letters including poems, photos, and upcoming workshops and performances.

I’ll never share your email, promise.