Papa died smiling wide as the ring of a bell
Gone all star-white, small as a wish in a well
And Sodom, South Georgia woke like a tree full of bees
Buried in Christmas bows and a blanket of weeds
Papa died Sunday and I understood
All dead white boys say 'God is good'
White tongues hang out, 'God is good'
Papa died while my girl lady Edith was born
Both heads fell like eyes on a crack in the door
And Sodom, South Georgia slept on an acre of bones
Slept through Christmas, slept like a bucket of snow
Papa died Sunday and I understood
All dead white boys say, 'God is good'
White tongues hang out, 'God is good'