JSFiddle - React, Tailwind, and code Playground

HTML

<div id="target">
    <p>Text to appear in front</p>
</div>

CSS

#target {
    position: relative;
    background: red;
    width: 200px;
    height: 200px;
    padding: 45px;
}

#target:before {
    content: "content from before, should be behind #target";
    position: absolute;
    top: 10%;
    left: 10%;
    width: 100%;
    height: 100%;
    background: cyan;
    z-index: -1;
}