Mamas Bible Daddys Bullet

Mama left a King James with my name in the spine Daddy left a forty-five and a fishing line She died praying for me on a Tuesday in June He died on the back porch the following moon I was thirty-one, working a roofing crew Got the call at noon, didn't know what to do Drove home through the heat to a house gone still Found her bible on the table, found his by the windowsill

Two parents, two gifts, one man in the middle Choosing every morning which one I am — little

Mama's bible, daddy's bullet On the dresser side by side One says: walk a narrow road, son One says: swallow what's inside Mama's bible, daddy's bullet Lord, I picked them both up twice Mama's bible, daddy's bullet That's the price

Got the bible in my truck, got the gun in my house Read the one when I'm rising, hold the other when the doubt Comes calling at the hours when the bottle calls louder And the only thing keeping me's a slow-drawn power She'd say: son, the Lord is a coward's only friend He'd say: be your own god 'til the very end And I'm a half a man of each, fifty-fifty split Walking down the line where the inheritance sits

Two parents, two gifts, one man in the middle Choosing every morning which one I am — little

Mama's bible, daddy's bullet On the dresser side by side One says: walk a narrow road, son One says: swallow what's inside Mama's bible, daddy's bullet Lord, I picked them both up twice Mama's bible, daddy's bullet That's the price

My boy's eleven now, sleeps in the room I had Asks me what to keep when I'm gone like my dad I told him: keep the bible, son, keep the bible close But the second drawer ain't yours That weight ain't yours to hold

Mama's bible, daddy's bullet On the dresser side by side One says: walk a narrow road, son One says: swallow what's inside Mama's bible, daddy's bullet Lord, I picked them both up twice Mama's bible, daddy's bullet THAT'S THE PRICE

That's the price... that's the price...

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