everything seems to fade away

shuffling the cards

cutting the deck

looking for fives aces

and my disability check

pouring a drink

grabbing a smoke

wondering why 

i'm always close to broke

near the end of the day

how many times do i have to pray?

watching everything as it seems to fade away

i've got no new games to play:

there's the old dance floor

where i once used to explore

with a woman in my arms

and all her youthful charms:

a forehead kiss

something not to miss

when the lights turn low

near the end of the all-night show

i've no place else to go

no spare life left to borrow.

dreaming alone

blowing some smoke

listening to old friends

tell another old joke

walking a mile

paying my fines

dreaming of days

without any deadlines.

shuffling the cards

cutting the deck

looking for fives aces

and my disability check

pouring a drink

grabbing a smoke

wondering why 

i'm always close to broke

near the end of the day

how many times do i have to pray?

watching everything as it seems to fade away

i've got no new games to play:

walking a mile

paying my fines

dreaming of days

without any deadlines.

the hole in my heart

finding graves

counting all the people who were slaves

never knowing when the end will come

hitching a ride with my corporate thumb

wondering where the road will lead

trying not to bleed

out the hole in my heart

there's never an easy way to restart

and no way to avoid the fall

no one to reach me when i call

an engine noise metallic with spinning gears

the grinding sound as it nears

around the bend and on the long straightaway

gathering speed with nothing new to say

blowing past in a swirl of dust

challenging me to move aside if i must

finding graves

counting all the people who were slaves

never knowing when the end will come

hitching a ride with my corporate thumb

wondering where the road will lead

trying not to bleed

out the hole in my heart.