Queen Christina, nice to meet ya
But I can't see you here
Locked inside of wooden boxes
All seems so near
And we crawled into your bed
You read to me what Descartes said
Oh, about love
I don't see why you stay
Or why this matters, anyway
Yeah, but you do

And you got your summer's dream
Dancing like you're just sixteen
Oh, and you were
Roman choirs for all who come
Shoot all the stars and soak up the sun
Yeah, I'll be there
And you watch her leave
Such a sad reprieve
But I don't even care
What's behind your stare

Dear Christina, pleased to meet ya
If I could see you here
Locked inside of wooden boxes
Won't seem so near
And we crawled into your bed
You read to me what Descartes said
Oh, about love
But I don't see why you stay
Or why this matters, anyway
Yeah, but you do

Ice age comes just once a year
But sometimes it lasts for years
Oh, it's unfair
Roman nights for all to share
When you're in Christina's prayers
Yeah, I'll be there

And we crawled into your bed
You read to me what Descartes said
Oh, about love
But I don't see why you stay
Or why this matters, anyway
Yeah, but you do
Queen Christina, nice to meet ya
But I can't see you here
Locked inside of wooden boxes
Can't be too near

Queen Christina

All afternoon
Could've sworn you were Calypso
And I guess I have to go
But I still don't know how
Howl at the moon
In a field of dragonfruit
Guinevere and moonbeams gliding
Au clair de lune
Crawled out of Lyonesse
On the day the lions slept
Heaven knows how I've been blessed
The music is ending
The seas are full of parachutes
And you dig through sailors' pockets
Strumming on your lute
And I sing along
To a Chinese bird's swan song
Down at the docks
Crashing down upon the rocks
Mademoiselle, we've found your bones
And your light's on, but no one's home
All your lovers are so alone
Mademoiselle...

In a hotel room
You begin to talk to him
With the sheets wrapped 'round your body
You're not sure just how to end
See your face in lines
It's not like you have to beg
When they make it clear that they want you
And you want them to
Love dies even when you're blessed
And I guess I must confess:
Sometimes hate brings more happiness
And I sang it to the choir
And I gave it to a pack of liars
So high
Just like Gervais
And they dig their claws in you
As you adjust your altitude
And you speak so soft
Not sure what to conceal
Well, I guess that's how the dead must feel
When they try to make themselves seem real
Mademoiselle, we've found your bones
And your light's on, but no one's home
All your lovers are so alone
Mademoiselle?

And it's always the same
Nothing left to do but wait
For something that you can relate
Such a familiar ache
And I swear I sympathize
Or at least I surmise
Or it's just my disguise
Green eyes that won't forget
Once you see the dead you've left
Nothing like my silhouette
And I don't really believe
That I could ever really leave
Mademoiselle, we've found your bones
And your light's on, but no one's home
All your lovers are so alone
Mademoiselle!

Mademoiselle

Dressed in scarves and stockings
And you light your cigarette
Climbing out the window
Trying hard not to forget
Kissing all the boys
Like an elementary flirt
Well, I'd take you out
But you know I gotta work

And the world's all sand
But you walk another mile
With your shoes in hand
Wandering like some orphaned child
Well, it wears you out
But no one takes you for a fool
Still, it's such a drag
Like a circus or a school

Walking in a maze
Always talking in a daze
Standing in the corner
Always playing hard to get
Well, she gets you hot
With her Rita Hayworth flirt
Then she kicks you out
With her Marlene Dietrich smirk

So, you play the whore
Anything they might adore
But their money's spent
The dolly zoom just won't relent
He's a pretty girl
But kinda twisted in the head
But you don't mind so
When she's lying in your bed

And the night comes down
But I guess it's for the best
And perchance to dream
But perchance I've just been blessed
When she lets you down
Man, you know it's gonna hurt
But you can't cry for her
Lying face-down in the dirt
Well, I kissed you once
But I guess that moment's passed
And I'd kiss you twice
But you know we wouldn't last

Said the Starling

Vaslava Nijinska, her eyes in the mist
Past surfers and seals, and all sorts of creatures that hiss
The waves start to stalk her and follow all timid and slow
Her hand reaches out to the sea and the ebb almost flows

You walk up the stairs and her place is a mess
She closes the shade, walks toward you, and takes off her dress
Once in a while, you almost remember the taste
Kissing her hard, or gently smacking her face

Some nights, down Moraga, I'd walk with my dog
At Grand View Park staircase we'd climb, ascending the fog
Facing the Headlands, the city seemed distant and small
Sitting beside me, he's always right here through it all

Those days at Lands End, I'd walk through the tidepools and trace
The shape of each starfish, watching the glow on his face
Vaslava Nijinska, she stares off to space
I start to imagine trying to remember this place

Those nights on the couch in the TV's soft glow
With her and her dog, his ghost, and memories of snow
Sometimes she'd make you forget that you feel out of place
Kissing you softly and dripping with each little taste

Vaslava Nijinska, her eyes in the mist
Past surfers and seals, and all sorts of creatures that hiss
You never expect those moments when he filters through
You never believe that moment it all becomes you

Vaslava Nijinska

Rose Arys and Shalimar
Thoughts drift off to somewhere
Who would've guessed I'd fit your dress?
Well, I should be going
And I'll say a prayer
But we can't go back
So now, goodbye

And it sculpts you like a stone
Secures you to the bone and concrete
Commemorates the tiniest of sins
But I just want to let it let me go now
And I'll say a prayer
Mother don't forget
All your rage and fears
And I wish you love
But I can't forget
A child born deformed then scorned for being born

Rose Arys and Shalimar
Thoughts drift off to somewhere
The strangest thing a stranger's eyes may see
Mary, should you wonder
Well, I wish you love
And it's strange to me
Like the Spanish City
There's no need to say goodbye

Rose Arys

Sing down the hall
Your back to the wall
And once you grew
Fraulein, I love you
Be there, I can't bear
This ice age all day
Black holes and old souls
Can smirk 'till the skies fold
Your pack of ghosts just laugh all day
Nobody hears a single thing they say

Summer will set you free
Persephone's last symphony
We grew to be blue
Angel, I want you
And now I'm reeling for
Another fix I can't afford
White holes and new souls
Scream 'till the stars fall
Romeo is fast asleep until May
When he wakes up, he'll laugh all day

Cold war is such a bore
Fall through the ice floor
And once I grew
Fraulein, I love you

The Ice Floor

I watch the sunset without the ocean now
Over hills, above the ground - avowed
I wrote to you for years
Thinking you might hear
Snakes sunning on the rocks
Geese grazing in flocks

See the stars, they sometimes look so near
They look the same as when we'd walk the piers
In winter, the river water's clear
Sometimes I think maybe you'll appear

She's beautiful, you know
I'll keep you close, but for now I have to go

The Lamplighter

The ballet ruse starts with a trick
It makes you feel helpless and sick
And slowly you're born, forgetting past forms
Yeah, that's the start of it

Roll me and shield me and wrap me in nickel
Set me ablaze in magnetic trickles
A trick it may seem but it seems so enticing
Vaslav Nijinsky in Tesla coil lightning

She travels where nobody knows
Taking off all of her clothes
Infinite flight, intangible sights
Now you're a part of it

Once you have seen it, you won't soon forget it
Ultramarine in scenes opalescent
Prescient and precious, your senses come senseless
Tomorrow, Tamara in all states of undress
(Sima Bina takes it away...)

So, let's get on with the show
The ballet ruse comes and it goes
Moves like a ghost through myriad hosts
Yeah, let's get on with it

Pavlova's dog in a scene by the river
In every last frame seen, well, Pavlova's with her
The ghost deer appears clear, her backdrop the forest
The white fawn, her lifelong, goes on to explore it
Once you have seen it, you won't soon forget it
Ultramarine in scenes opalescent
Prescient and precious, your senses come senseless
Tomorrow, Tamara in all states of undress
Roll me and shield me and wrap me in nickel
Set me ablaze in magnetic trickles
A trick it may seem but it seems so enticing
Vaslav Nijinsky in Tesla coil lightning

The Dog Kings