Esther Pearl

In a burned farmhouse at the end of the road 

Boarded up and abandoned from a strange episode 

And haunted by the underground railroad 

 

Well a creole woman built it in 1863 

Her name was Esther Pearl from Port-au-Prince, Haiti 

Was a French healer and a, a voodoo priest 

 

She arrived on the shores of New Orleans 

Passed as a white woman, surrounded by the screams of her family 

Drug off in chains 

 

She swore one day she'd head north 

Make a fortune telling fortunes, buy a house and a horse 

And try to save some souls along the way 

 

Well Esther Pearl, Esther Pearl 

Whatcha gonna do when they come for you girl? 

In your bare feet, running through the snow 

 

She made it up to Maine, native territory  

Local Indian tribe helped ease her story 

Gave her meat and skins for the winter, for her slaves 

 

She'd hide 15 or 20 of em in the cellar of her house 

Men come around, they'd be quiet as a mouse 

And she'd sneak em up into Canada, in the witching hour 

 

So this went on for the year of 1864  

Til one day came a knock on her door 

White sheets, and torches all lit up 

 

They surrounded the house with nails and wire 

Locked em inside, when they set em on fire 

And you could hear em screaming as the, the smoke filled the sky 

 

Well Esther Pearl, Esther Pearl 

Whatcha gonna do when they come for you girl? 

In your pretty bare feet, running through the snow 

 

Well Esther Pearl, Esther Pearl 

You're the only light in this dark old world 

Hunted down, and no place left to go 

 

And it's only a matter of time 

Til we hear them whistles whine 

Across the Mason Dixon line 

Well, it's only a matter of time 

 

Well 

Esther Pearl, Esther Pearl 

Whatcha gonna do when they come for you girl? 

In your pretty bare feet, running through the snow 

 

Well Esther Pearl, Esther Pearl 

You're the only light in this dark old world 

Hunted down, and no place left to go 

 

Honey, no place left to go 

Honey, no place left to go