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's 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
Is now 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 o
Verstaffed.

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's just a trend
Now 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
Who, when things got rather touchy
Deeded me a duchy...

Liaisons! What's happened to them?
Liaisons today
Untidy! Take my daughter, I
Taught her, I
Tried my best to point the way
I even named her Desiree.

In a world where the kings are employers
Where the amateur prevails
And delicacy fails
To pay
In a world where the princes are lawyers
What can anyone expect
Except to recollect
Lia....