Family Portrait

So, we start with my father as a boy
Barely spoke a word of English, fell in love from a distance
He watched her working from the back fence
He learned some words and some clever turns of phrase from his father's book of poets
She wasn't taken in that instant but grew impressed with his persistence

They met each other out by moonlight, made love in the nearby woods
Then her folks became suspicious, when her cycle broke, it settled it
They stole away without their goodbyes, got married in a foreign town
Made their way as best as they could, found jobs and settled down
And then time moved on

I was born in a river of blood on sheets from the wedding day
The room was dark and the stench was thick
My father couldn't stand the smell of it

Mama died in the night 'cause the nearest doctor couldn't stem the blood loss
Father cried out on the back porch
My sister held me at the neighbour's house

Oh my, there was a storm then
There was a flood of a different kind
Father's eyes were often vacant
But his hands were rarely quiet
Sister learned to take her hits well
Both from life and the physical kind
But I was never one to lie down
Despite who picked the fight
So we designed our hells

Father turned into a drinker, a dark bastard with a wooden heart
Sister learn to be a mother before she ever played another part
And I became a little terror, I lashed out at whatever's around
Took some time before I settled, to find a mind that was somewhat sound
And as it always does, time rushed on

Six years later, father died in the very same bedroom
Many said it was the grief that did it
I have to say it's 'cause he hung himself
To be honest, neither sister nor myself ever much regret his passing
But I admit it was a nice thing
To always know that we could feed ourselves