i was born in florida
and as soon as i could i fled
it was just me and an old, old friend
we had no money for even a bed.
but then one night in a drunken mess
i murdered my friend.
"it was just an accident"
or at least that's what i said.
i fled from the city.
thought i'd made it off clean
but i didn't notice the officers
glaring at me, so mean.
i hid out in the gutters
and i smoked myself to sleep
but the officers, by morning
sure enough had caught up to me.
they had dogs and guns and clubs in their hands
i spied them over the hill
just in time to make my escape
on a wagon named deville
i hopped on back and looked around
so much death, not even i'd seen.
there were skins of bear and dear and such
and a smell of mushrooms and beans.
then i heard a voice coming from the front
saying "who is that back there!?"
and i said "oh no, no don't worry.
i just came to inquire about the bear.
then the wagon pulled over with a lurch
and i hopped out, ready for anything,
but before me stood a fare maiden.
she stood tall. she was very pretty.
then she asked me to tell her my story
so we sat, and i built a fire
and she made me a meal, a hardy one
i was starved and she met all my desires.
i told her of my close escape
she said she could be help to me.
she said that she could change my face
so i could always be free.
and i said, "dear lady, what is your price?"
and she said, "just give me a baby."
***
and when i awoke the next morning
my reflection i could not recognize.
fare maiden was gone, i was all alone
there was a storm a brewing in the sky
i lived free and happy for many a-year
til one day a boy came to me.
he couldn't have been more than fourteen,
but his eyes struck a chord with me.
he said, "hello there father,
good to see you, are you well?"
and i said. "you must have the wrong man..."
he said, "dad, you don't remember so well"
he said, "my mother was the daughter of the devil
and my father is the son of a preacher
and my father is a cold blooded murderer
and my father is an empty soul
"and my fathers face is gone
and my mother's dead and gone
and now, dear father, your time has come
to join my mother, far from the sun.
"i'm ashamed of where i come from," he said,
"i don't want you to walk this earth,
i'm the grandson of the devil," he said,
"but you just came from dirt."
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