Long before what is black was blackened   O, long before   Blooms of gray made mother lovely   Mother ain't lovely no more   And long before the house was leaning   O, long before   The corridor of box woods lined the entrance   Box woods ain't there no more   Dad burned the box woods   And like to burned the house   But one came wandering and beat daddy down   O, long before   Long before this road seemed knotted   O, long before   There was but one path dim and cozy   Path don't seem to be no more   And long before you were my sister   O, long before   Gals in town they called me mister   Ain't no girl call on me no more   I cut the card loosewise   Were you not my only dream?   Give the hero his house   He and ma live in sin   O, long before   And long before you were an artwork   O, long before   Mama suckled you on her holy breast   Mama's breast ain't holy no more   Long before we shared a shortsheet   O, long before   I stood above you as you slept   I don't stand above no more   We won little mobile   And won filthy path   And will drift along tongueless unhappiness at last   Will last   And last   Till we see fit to stand before   That virgin cunt, that sainted whore   Whose piss we have slept under   Whose smell we have bore   Is her heelprint that marks our faces?   O, long before