Two Brothers
Joshua Davis Lyrics

Brother-mine, I've missed you. Your beard, it grows so long
The singer expresses joy in meeting his brother and emphasizes the physical changes in his brother since they last met

Your eyes are wetted mirrors & I've known you all along
The brother's eyes reflect others' emotions and the singer has always been familiar with him

Do you recall our laughter? The boyish games we'd play?
The singer reminisces about the fun times they had in childhood

As lion cubs we'd brawl and boast. At once hunter and his prey
The two experienced mock fights in their childhood where roles were often interchangeable

Oh sweet brother: hunter and prey
The artist continues to acknowledge their childhood relationship dynamic which they shared as brothers

I was with you on the hillside, I did not understand
The singer was with his brother during a pivotal moment, but he did not fully comprehend what was happening

Felt the burden of wood upon my back, the threat of the blade in his hand
The singer vividly remembers the physical sensations of being involved in a struggle with his brother

Bound and splayed upon the altar, that dry and cloudness day
The artist recollects being captive on an altar on an overcast day

But as he reached to strike the match, I looked the other way
The artist avoided an important moment, further hindering a deep understanding of what occurred

Oh sweet brother, I've looked the other way
The artist admits that he avoided unpleasant events and chose to be oblivious

Fathers of fathers - oh, Ibrahim- hear our humble words
Addressing the fathers of their forefathers, they share their poignant message

As we blind you in this silken cloth - anointed with sweet oils and herbs
As part of their culture, they follow customs to prepare a body for burial

And shoulder your body down into the tomb & lay you supine upon a stone
After preparing the body, they will carry it to the burial place and carefully lay it down

We the sons of Abraham, two wings of one bird. Together and alone
The two are interconnected and depend on each other despite moments of being apart

I heard you in the wilderness but I did not understand
In another situation, the singer recalls hearing his brother in isolation but did not comprehend it

Why you'd been released afar & promised many lands
His brother was promised to be a leader of many lands and communities after being released from captivity

When you cried I ran for water. I drank 'til I could burst
When his brother cried out, the artist went for water but became greedy and consumed the water himself

And with greed & glut I cursed your name. When I could not quench the thirst
The singer regrets losing focus and blaming his brother when he was unable to quench his thirst

Oh sweet brother, how I could I quench your thirst?
The singer laments his brother's unfulfilled desires

I've whispered your name with each drawing of my bow
The artist has made a practice of uttering his brother's name as he shoots arrows

And releasing every arrow, it was our father's name I spoke
When he fired an arrow, he referenced his father's name

And as if by magic, the fogs and winds withdrew
The artist had a supernatural experience when his father's name was invoked

You were there behind me as the birds were cleaved in two
His brother was by his side when they witnessed the amazing occurrence

Oh, sweet brother the birds cleaved to.
The brother shared the same astonishment at the supernatural phenomenon

Though our past is fraught with heartache and our futures are unclear,
The singer acknowledges their troubled past and uncertain future

Today I kneel before you and wash your feet in tears
The singer submits himself to his brother, offering a gesture of humility and reconciliation

In the name of our good father, brother, we have done our best
The singer and his brother have tried to hold on to their father's promise and do the right thing

To bear his holy promise as wings, two sons abreast
The artist and his brother see themselves as fulfilling their father's promise by working together

We shall meet once more in Macpelah - sing with me before we part -
The brothers part ways knowing they will reunite in the future and share a song together

As great Seeds of Many Nations and boys, of a father's shrouded heart
Their reunion will be a celebration, looking back at their shared heritage

When our mouths are bound in gauze with no more need for words
In the event of their deaths, they will not need words to communicate as they share a deep bond

Let us meet once more in death - as a miracle of birds
Their reunion in death will be as extraordinary as the bird phenomenon they witnessed together

Oh sweet brother: Miracle of Birds
The miracle of birds will serve as a lasting memory of their shared experiences and brotherhood