He handled snakes
He dared them to bite
He put his lips to the strychnine and he inhaled
He took the news advice, spent less time indoors, tried drugs, tried church
The combination worked
Confused, but more than willing, that's when it all stopped working
Tried nihilism, couldn't afford the vacation
He took the new advice, spent less time outdoors, tried drugs again, tried church again
At last, he heard the voice, a black cloud with a gray lining
At least we had a choice, but he was cursed from the beginning
Night and day, he struggled to make his own way in time
We crawl just like our fathers, 10 miles to get a dime
It took a decade, the flip of a broken coin, said he owed it to the pastor who said he'd save this boy
Night and day, he struggled to make his own way in time
We crawl just like our mothers, 10 miles to get a dime
It took a decade to flip that broken coin
It took a decade to get it in his mind
At the gates of hell, pretend you're saved
At the gates of hell, pretend you're brave
At the gates of hell, pretend you're saved
With an everlasting rust, we dragged our names into the dust
Stripped of love, stripped of skin, built a wall, but they let us in
A steel box never unsealed, isolated in a verdant field
A phony ring of protection bought online from a fake white shaman
Clenched my teeth all the way down when my therapist said to smile
Kill your mind, lit by fire
Once, I dreamt we heard the choir
Away with god, away with love
Our hands are tied and stepped on
Away with god, away with love
Our hands are tied and stepped on
Away with god, away with love
Our hands are tied and stepped on
Away with god, away with love
Our hands are tied and stepped on