A Little Night Music: Liaisons

At the villa of the Baron de Signac

Where I spent a somewhat infamous year

At the villa of the Baron de Signac

I had ladies in attendance, fire-opal pendants

Liaisons

What happened to them?

Liaisons today

Disgraceful

What's become of them?

Some of them hardly pay their shoddy way

What once was a rare champagne

Now is just an amiable hock

What once was a villa at least is "digs"

What once was a gown with train

Is now just a simple little frock

What once was a sumptuous feast

Is figs

No

Not even figs

Raisins

Ah, liaisons

Now where was I, where was I?

Oh, yes

At the palace of the Duke of Ferrara

Who was prematurely deaf, but a dear

At the palace of the Duke of Ferrara

I acquired some position - plus a tiny Titian

Liaisons

What's happened to them?

Liaisons today

To see them

Indiscriminate women

It pains me more than I can say

The lack of taste that they display

Where is style?

Where is skill?

Where is forethought?

Where's discretion of the heart?

Where's passion in the art?

Where's craft?

With a smile and a will

But with more thought

I acquired a chateau, extravagantly overstaffed

Too many people muddle sex with mere desire

And when emotion intervenes

The nets descend

It should on no account perplex

Or worse, inspire

It's but a pleasurable means to a measurable end

Why does no one comprehend?

Let us hope this lunacy is just a trend

Where was I, where was I?

Oh yes

In the castle of the King of the Belgians

We would visit through a false chiffonier

In the castle of the King of the Belgians