Lyrics:
Trav Da Poet:
As a little boy I’d sneak in my daddy’s closet,
Try on his shirts & shoes, feet swallowed by its mouth,
Barely able to move, sliding along carelessly,
He’d laugh, take them off, & say “one day you’ll fill your own shoes!”
Years passed, my feet grew, my experiences vaster,
Walking through valleys staring at death’s shadow
Then scaling the highest mountains alone,
Had some girlish accompaniment but no one to call home,
Yearning for that special perfume to blend perfectly with my cologne,
A unique fragrance elevating my soul to another zone,
While gathering fragments from my shattered heart I saw her,
I'm not ready, but I wrote down her name,
Journeyed a few years, met again at a crossroad, never was the same,
My heart, forged in fire, fought to finally be engraved with her signature,
Watching her glide down the aisle, I ponder on my dad’s laughter,
Seeing my shoes filled, living my before & after

Tha IronMantis & Trav Da Poet:
Before and after,
Coming of age,
Life is full of before and afters
Before and after,
Turning the page,
Life is full of before and afters
Before and after,
Living the chapter,
Life is full of before and afters
Before and after,
Writing this book,
Until the hereafter

Trav Da Poet:
I’m a father now, with three little boys,
Made in my image, seeing myself in their reflection,
Mirroring my mannerisms, imagining future selections
Of vocation, residential location, & bridal better halves,
My parents raised the square in the equation, but I wanna do better math,
Correcting errors, politely pushing to their limits,
Reaching infinity, removing roots that inhibit
Positive progression, teaching many lessons,
Tossing the ball in the yard, they swing & miss in several sessions,
When they connect, Yes! Get them to respect
The wiffs as they increase focus, timing, etc. to correct,
Tell the others to watch the oldest & adjust on deck,
Perfection’s in the practice, it’s not all stealing bases & homeruns,
Highlights are nice but the work in the dim lights gets it done,
I hope these tenets lead to pennants, many personal World Series are won,
Proud Dad, coaching their before & after to what they will become

Tha IronMantis & Trav Da Poet:
Before and after,
Coming of age,
Life is full of before and afters
Before and after,
Turning the page,
Life is full of before and afters
Before and after,
Living the chapter,
Life is full of before and afters
Before and after,
Writing this book,
Until the hereafter
Before and after
Yeah, life is full of before and afters