Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, THE PARABLE OF THE OLD MAN AND THE YOUNG, by WILFRED OWEN


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

THE PARABLE OF THE OLD MAN AND THE YOUNG, by         Recitation         Poet Analysis     Poet's Biography
First Line: So abram rose, and clave the wood, and went
Last Line: And half the seed of europe, one by one.
Subject(s): Abraham; Bible; Isaac (bible); Religion; Soldiers' Writings; World War I; Theology; First World War


So Abram rose, and clave the wood, and went,
And took the fire with him, and a knife.
And as they sojourned both of them together,
Isaac the first-born spake and said, My Father,
Behold the preparations, fire and iron,
But where the lamb for this burnt-offering?
Then Abram bound the youth with belts and straps,
And builded parapets and trenches there,
And stretched forth the knife to slay his son.
When lo! an angel called him out of heaven,
Saying, Lay not thy hand upon the lad,
Neither do anything to him. Behold,
Behold! Caught in a thicket by its horns,
A Ram. Offer the Ram of Pride instead.

But the old man would not do so, but slew his son,
And half the seed of Europe, one by one.













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