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 the folks became suspicious
When her cycle broken so young

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 cos the nearest
Doctor couldn't stem the blood loss
Father cried out on the back porch
My sister held me at the neighbor's house

Oh, my, there was a storm then
It 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 learned to be a mother
Before she'd ever played another part
And I became a little terror
I lashed out at whatever's around
Took some time before I settled
And found 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 cos he hung himself
To be honest neither sister or myself
Ever much regret his passin'
But I admit it was a nice thing
To always know that we could feed ourselves