wide open falsehood 
the clan destine 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 
leather bound treasure books 
up to the ceiling 
gold spine upon spine 

the guile and the treason 
the faith and allegiance 

wide open falsehood 
the clan destine 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 fine banquet hall 
as rebel insurgents plot in 
the attic space crawl 

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

his small hand did strive 
to explain all the 
rants and raves of 
a p