The Letter Reader

She reads the letters
Decides which ones to let through
Which ones to send home unopened

Some news is too hard to take
Better no words than ones like these
A man can bend, and a man can crumble
It takes a special eye to know
What makes him break in two

Well, there's a pint in my mattress
And Charlie always prays for suicides
Saved up those blue pills under his tongue
And then he ate them all one night
Heard the ambulance
As it pulled away, driving slow

Just a cardboard box with his suit and his shoes
He came back looking the same way
With that look in his eye
I'll see you in church he said
I got nothing on my mind he said
Well, I got you on my mind I said
We ain't getting out of here 'til it's time
His time isn't over
You'll never see him again

His wife died, then he drank himself blind
Where are you going
I'll be back soon
Oh, he killed them all with an axe so small
That sank to the bottom of the river
Yes, it lies at the bottom of the river

Close your doors, close your windows
Close your doors, close your windows