Up Falling Rock Hill where the leaves swoop like bats I shot my brother William five times in the back "Have mercy, have mercy, dear brother," he cried But the wind has no mercy and neither did I I watched as his blood ran through the damp grass I watched as the black ants crawled through his hands Up Falling Rock Hill, the wind softly moaned And down, down came I with blood on my clothes Cicadas were hissing and the whippoorwill called But the earth didn't open and the sky didn't fall 'Round Falling Rock Hill the wind softly moans And black ants, they crawl 'cross my dear brother's bones Wild red roses tangle the grass Where William, sweet William, his blood once ran Through the dead leaves I walk marked with blood And wherever I step, the night creatures run Cicadas are hissing and the whippoorwill calls But the earth doesn't open and the sky doesn't fall The earth doesn't open and the sky doesn't fall