[00:55.42]So we start with my father as a boy [00:59.54]Barely spoke a word of English [01:01.87]Fell in love from a distance [01:03.80]He watched her working from the back fence [01:07.03]He learned some words [01:08.33]And some clever turns of phrase [01:10.28]From his father’s book of poets [01:13.16]She wasn’t taken in that instant [01:15.92]But grew impressed with his persistence [01:19.36]They met each other out by moonlight [01:22.10]Made love in the nearby woods [01:25.16]Then the folks became suspicious [01:28.04]When her cycle broken so young (?)【?】 [01:30.60]They stole away without their goodbyes [01:33.43]Got married in a foreign town [01:36.84]Made their way as best as they could [01:39.70]Found jobs and settled down [01:44.04]And then time moved on [02:12.19]I was born in a river of blood [02:14.99]On sheets from the wedding day [02:17.82]The room was dark and the stench was thick [02:20.72]My father couldn’t stand the smell of it [02:23.61]Mama died in the night cos the nearest [02:26.90]Doctor couldn’t stem the blood loss [02:29.54]Father cried out on the back porch [02:32.27]My sister held me at the neighbor’s house [02:35.50]Oh my, there was a storm then [02:37.89]It was a flood of a different kind [02:41.20]Father’s eyes were often vacant [02:44.13]But his hands were rarely quiet [02:47.01]Sister learned to take her hits well [02:49.87]Both from life and the physical kind [02:52.88]But I was never one to lie down [02:55.93]Despite who picked the fight [02:58.75]So we designed our hells [03:29.34]Father turned into a drinker [03:31.80]A dark bastard with a wooden heart [03:34.67]Sister learned to be a mother [03:37.57]Before she’d ever played another part [03:40.56]And I became a little terror [03:43.43]I lashed out at whatever’s around [03:46.43]Took some time before I settled [03:49.30]And found a mind that was somewhat sound [03:52.40]And as it always does [03:56.84]Time rushed on [04:09.85]Six years later father died in the very same bedroom [04:15.66]Many said it was the grief that did it [04:18.60]I have to say it’s cos he hung himself [04:21.51]To be honest neither sister or myself [04:24.69]Ever much regret his passin’ [04:27.32]But I admit it was a nice thing [04:30.43]To always know that we could feed ourselves