Brother's Blood

Caught my brother on the Mississippi line Cherokee plates, gun on the seat He looked at me, didn't even raise the iron — Said sheriff, you got cold feet?

I been a deputy for nineteen years He been a runner for seventeen We grew up on the same dirt road in Greenwood — Now one of us wears a star, one wears a stain

Brother's blood on my service piece Brother's name on the other side of the line Some kin you can't keep, some kin you can't release — Some kin sleeps in mama's mind, beside mine Sleeps in mama's mind, beside mine

I read the rights, he read the writin' on the wall Said little brother, you don't have to do this hard I said brother, the badge don't ask the family — The badge just asks for the body, in the yard

He said tell mama I went to Tulsa Tell daddy I never crossed Tell the boy I love that I forgive him For the part of me he lost For the part of me he lost

There's a cross on a county road outside Greenwood It don't say a name, it don't say a date Sheriff put it there himself one Sunday — And the sheriff don't pray, no, the sheriff don't wait Sheriff don't pray, sheriff don't wait

Brother's blood on my service piece Brother's name on a county cross I drove home through Greenwood, I sat with mama — And I never told her the cost I never told her the cost

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