A Lie when a Truth Would do

early morning
few hours before daybreak
August hot time even that early
walked down a road
leaving my hometown before daylight
few dollars in my pocket
going west, young man, going west
by thumb most of the way
why you going to California
those who stopped to pick me up
wanted to know
looking for my momma
my reply
it was a lie
a lie twice
my lie
Sam and Orean's lie
cause that's the lie they told me
when I asked them about my
real mother
often wondered how my life would have been
if they'd
just told me the truth
if they hadn't lied
just told me the truth
but I knew they were both lying
could it all have been avoided
my scrapes with the law
how I treated my women
my kids
many things I hang my head about now
hang-ups personified
all because one question
was met with lies
that and
the beatings
I think I could have overcome the beatings
it was the lies that did me in
I know, I know, kids are
suppose to rise above these childhood traumas
some can't
whadda you do then
for a lot of people
you give back what you had to take
I did
sorry to say
I foisted upon others my burden
except the lies
made it a point to never lie
that's something
I guess