Solitaire (1997)

She deals the cards and frowns,
Silently surveys her hand.
She lays three cards down
And thinks, but doesn't understand

Two cards she finds to pair
One red and one of opposite black
Face cards she lays with care
Queen in front, king in back

With stiff limbs and a poker face
She plays according to rules
Set down in another time and place
By sympathetic fools

Darkly through the glass
She greets another day
She comes to an impasse
It cannot go her way.

Spreading cards across the floor
She quits the fatal game there
And gets up, heading toward the door
Thinking it's just solitaire

You Were Never There (1997)

I had a dream last night that a package came

Full of those styrofoam peanuts

I dug and dug and finally found

A shiny brand new you

An invoice on your shoulder

And then I saw you in the mall the other day

You looked so bright I wondered were you plastic?

And then the whole scene coalesced

And you weren't there at all

And a chord struck me

You were never there

Your body was an empty shell your smile

Went on for miles but you were 

Stone cold dead in the head

And now I guess I shouldn't wonder why you don't care

You weren't there

I had a dream last night that a package came

This time I sent it back return to sender

Last night I dreamt I buried you six feet under

Underneath a load of styrofoam popcorn