Ballad of the Heavy Stone

That stone
That damnable stone
I put it up
carved the words with a pistol barrel
took some time
that did

Give me drink
strong drink
I'm a weak man
She wasn't
the baby's mother
She was strong
Held that baby
as it died in her arms
that there mister
is the weight of the world

Thank you thank you
I needed that drink
I need it cause drinking
stops me from thinking
of her tiny fever cry
and fever eyes wound shut
and bright red fever cheeks
oh god she did stink of it

Maybe she shouldn't have been born
the babe of a weak man
and a strong woman
in god's nowhere
maybe not
But I loved her mother
and contrarily she loved me
she's now buried yonder
down row three


God I wish I had never loved
Good God I wish it would have never ended
Now too weak for heaven
bound for hell
Give me the rest of the bottle
you've had your fill
of me
and I'm empty
still