The greatest lies I've ever heard

Was added to the Word that came from above

All in the mighty name of love.

 

More tears than a body can hold did I see

Especially when the un-learned preacher said to

The congregation this young man is now free

Those folks did everything but sell their souls

Tears, lies, and more tears and lies

Blowing snot, wiping puffy eyes

Up in there that day No truth was taught.

Someone cried out: "turn on the air,

It's awfully hot, turn on the air it's awfully hot"

Mama Lucie was just screaming and blowing snot

 

"Up in here, we need circulation"

The young man died without any connection

With any kind of Christians communication

The young chorus asked "who is he:"

They had never met him in congregation

But here they now stood singing from their souls

To their heavenly Father for the boy's lost soul

A few of the children cried for the young man

That laid before them because they knew they could not help him

And he could not hear them.

But yet they lifted up their voice before the throne of God

God please forgive him for all his wrong.

 

Screams pushing from deep within

Crying and hollering for the shell before them.

Crying for a young man that had died in his sin

Crying out to the God they did not know

The True God of Eternity had not taken their love one as the

Un-learned Preacher had said.

God is The God of the Living not the dead

 

Mama and Papa holding hands,

Giving God the praise for the great preacher man

As they paid him to say what would comfort them

A room filled with folks half believing him

The preacher man said to the folks that day

 "God gave and God has taken away"

Not a word that day was keeping it real

As the devil sitting in that crowdie room

Frowning as he knew most of them from the corner saloon

 

Papa got drunk and slapped Mama around

Their only child had just been placed ungrounded

Mama knew and Papa did too, that Junior didn't

Go to heaven that day, and junior hadn't gotten killed

Just out to play.

Junior had tried to rob somebody that day

The fact is things hadn't gone juniors' way

 

What Papa and the preacher didn't know

God had answered Mama's prayer

Mama could take abuse from junior no more

One beating her was enough

It broke her heart to see her only child

Being returned to the dust

But Mama's prayer was in God I trust

 

Junior had slapped her once to much

She cried silently for the boy she'd given to birth

But best he be gone than take a life

Best he never bring forward a child or take a wife

Especially after he told her curse you and your foolish Christ

I Ms. Mama am responsible for my own life

Now fix me some food before I cut you again with this here

Steak knife.

 

Papa had come in and just sat down

"What you're doing with that there knife Junior, you know it ain't right"

What's Mama done to you for you to treat her this way" Papa asked

"Pulling it on your Mama ain't right at all"

"You should be ashamed of yourself Boy" Papa said

Jumping up from the chair Junior punched his Papa up side the head

"Shut up old man, before you find yourself among the living dead

 

Junior grabbed the food and ate it without saying grace,

Laughing and pointing at the pain and hurt on his papa and his mama face

As Mama bowed her head these was the last words Junior heard mama say

Father Jehovah God hear my prayer a boy I asked for

And a boy I got, what I should have asked for was a son.

Change him or take him away from here

I am tied Lord of living in fear

This devil doesn't belong up in here.

One devil is enough.  Lord I ask you to take him as you will

I'd hate to be the one that kill's my own son,

I've worked to hard for in hell to burn,

Just maybe this all is my fault, mama said to herself

"But Lord you know I've had enough."

"Lord I just couldn't take any more of this stuff"

As Mama sat there at the funeral home that day 

She cried for the lie that she heard the great preacher man say.

She sat anxious for the time to put her boy away. 

 

"It's a sin what I've done, to pray to destroy someone"

She thought to herself. 

"The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away"

She again heard the preacher say.

But mama knew it wasn't the Lord that took her boy away.

No matter what the preacher man or any one else had to say

That boy had thrown his own life away

Caught up in a robber that had gone all wrong

The only child she had was never coming home

Just as she'd asked the Lord to do 

The devil himself had heard it too.

 

Now Mama was home, getting slapped around once more

By the man that was to have protected her from all harm. 

Instead of holding her in his arms and trying to ease her pain

He was beating her, slapping her around and placing blame,

Calling her all sorts of filthy names

 

Only this time when he grabbed her by the arm

And slung her onto the bed Mama felt nothing.

This time Mama didn't cry.

Mama didn't scream.  Mama didn't do anything

She just felt back on the bed and stared into space.

As she looked upon her husbands the head abuser's face

 

"Why didn't I ask you Father to take the abusers away?

My boy did just what he'd learned.

Papa and me we destroyed him

We allowed him to get out of control. 

Papa and me we costed that boy his soul." 

 

"My boy's gone now and things ain't change at all."

"This mane ain't gonna ever change."

For twenty odd years he's abused me,

He's used me and taught our boy to do the same

Without any morals he's gonna be the death of me.

I can't pray for him no more Lord

I can't take any more abuse either

Lord tell me what to do?

Lead me and guide me as you would have me to do.

Lord this is the prayer I place before you.

This woman beater is yet here tossing me about

Just as he has year after year

Father let your will be done.  For I want your kingdom to come

While I am still yet here on earth in Christ Jesus name I pray,

Lord Jehovah have your way. Amen."

 

Like a zombie Mama pulled herself up from the bed.

 Papa yet screaming at her calling her names, all out of his head

"My boys gone because you didn't know how to raise him"

He screamed at her.  "It should have been you"; "it should have been you".

Falling down drunk Papa sat on the floor, blocking the bed room door

 

Mama step out of her clothes into the shower, then the tears came

For the twenty years she had taken his name, she had carried all the blame,

For twenty some odd years Mama had lived in humiliation and shame

Now their seventeen year old son was gone.

 

Stepping out the shower Mama saw Papa

Had pulled himself off the floor and passed out

With his bottle at the foot of the bed. 

He laid their as if he was dead. 

Mama leaned over and pulled the cover over him. 

Reached in the clothes and took out her favored dressed. 

Got dress, pulled out her old trunk and threw some things in it.

Called a cab

 

Went to the draw, took most of the cash

From Papa supposed hidden stash

Walked over to him, leaned over,

Kissed him on the forehead whispering I love you

Now it's time for me to learn to love me.

Without our boy I can move on.

By the time you rise I too will be gone

Now I can go make me a Christian home.

Mama unplugged the phone

Turned off the lights

Took another look at Papa lying there like he had no life

Papa I ain't sorry to leave you alone

The cab pulled up and Mama closed the door

Never to see Papa no more.