What My Brother Doesn't Know

What my brother doesn't know
Is that he's about to die

Death isn't something we're familiar with here

We only know about life
Birth, beginning

We don't understand the basic concept of 'the end'

He's sleeping
And when he sleeps
The clouds form and part
Depending on his breath

That's how we know God is pleased with him
By him, by his very existence

God is not pleased by me

He won't say it, but I know

I know he's not

I gave up crops from my field
Crops that I planted, and nursed, and harvested
And then offered up to him

My brother killed three young lambs
And held them up to God
With the blood still dripping down his arms

And God looked at my brother and approved
And He looked at me
And turned away

If He wants blood, I can give him blood

That must be it
That must be what I'm missing

He approves of my brother because he sacrifices
The beauty of life
For his God

What greater sacrifice could I make
Than that of my brother

My most beloved

I know a secret
That even God doesn't know

The clouds don't move because of my brother
They move because when he sleeps
I speak to them and ask them to watch over him

Protect him from whatever might come
Down from above

The snake came to me last night

It hasn't been seen since it spoke to my mother

We thought we'd left it behind in the garden
But it must have followed us

Because it appeared to me
Wrapped around my crops

Telling me to take my own life
That doing so would be a sacrifice that would truly please God

But I knew this was false

Because God doesn't love me

Taking my own life would mean nothing to Him
And it would merely place me in the hands of snake
For all eternity

So instead I shall send my brother to God
And perhaps one day I will be allowed to join him

Maybe one day we will part the clouds together