Leonard Cohen - Story Of Isaac - Live 1968

The door it opened slowly My father he came in I was nine years old And he stood so tall above me Blue eyes they were shining And his voice was very cold He said, "I've had a vision And you know I'm strong and holy I must do what I've been told" So he started up the mountain I was running, he was walking And his axe was made of gold Well, the trees they got much smaller The lake, a lady's mirror We stopped to drink some wine Then he threw the bottle over Broke a minute later And he put his hand on mine Thought I saw an eagle But it might have been a vulture I never could decide Then my father built an altar He looked once behind his shoulder He knew I would not hide You who build these altars now To sacrifice these children You must not do it anymore A scheme is not a vision And you never have been tempted By a demon or a God You who stand above them now Your hatchets blunt and bloody You were not there before When I lay upon a mountain And my father's hand was trembling With the beauty of the word And if you call me brother now Forgive me if I inquire "Just according to whose plan?" When it all comes down to dust I will kill you if I must I will help you if I can When it all comes down to dust I will help you if I must I will kill you if I can And mercy on our uniform Man of peace or man of war The peacock spreads his fan