wide open falsehood the clandestine truths rival till the end in a series of duels pardon the drapery language I choose Waltz in Vienna has taught me… - Natalie Merchant

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wide open falsehood
the clandestine truths
rival till the end
in a series of duels
pardon the drapery language I choose
Waltz in Vienna has taught me to use

every tall room a fiction
leatherbound treasure books
up to the ceiling
gold spine upon spine

the guile and the treason
the faith and allegiance

wide open falsehood
the clandestine truths
rival till the end
in a series of duels
pardon the drapery language I choose

the author grew fat to imagine
his lead pen careening
gave voice to the scheming
an Aryan cabale to dethrone

the guile and the treason
the faith and allegiance
to the empire unknown

the baron and his mistress
dine in a fine banquet hall
as rebel insurgents
plot in the attic space crawl

the guile and the treason
the faith and allegiance
now lie in my hand