When In Rome

In the fire blue forests, faded and forgotten I crawled through the cotton fields, picking for cotton The overseer sneered, his whipping was rotten With ecstasy. I'm child-like terror I tore out the tap roots Cards of the lash were calling to follow suit I dashed for the swamps, the hounds in hot pursuit Jealously. All through the night a figure of fright, as I hid my head And the buried their nose in a cut of my cloths, now torn in shreds And they never would leave until they believed that I was dead But I'd never curse their names Oh, who am I to blame I know I'd do the same Endlessly. And all the high-born ladies So lovely and so true, Have been handed to the soldiers When in Rome do as the Romans do. Frail and afraid in the mists of the morning The snakes and the spiders were sadly performing The bark of the dogs kept up the warning Inside the wood. Sweating and swearing I crawled from the manger The highway appeared to take me from danger Is there anyone here who would pick up a stranger? Oh I wish you could. Then someone replied "would you like a ride?" "Come in" he said. We drove for a while, he gave me a smile and a piece of bread The hammer was hard in the chrome of the car as I cracked his head Then we took off in a spin Oh I smashed his skull again Oh thank you my good friend, I feel so good. And all the high-born ladies So lovely and so true, Have been handed to the soldiers When in Rome do as the Romans do. Late in the evening I came to the city I fell to the sidewalks sighing for pity A diamond was dropped from the hands of the pretty To be so kind. Cowards and corpses were busy competing The rhymes of the riots were busy repeating I raced to the corner and sped(?) from the speeding To save my mind. Latches and locks, companies of cops ran from the rain There was silk in the stores for the whims of the whores That shone with shame. I asked for a light from a priest in the night Then I fanned the flames. And the traffic all stood still To see if someone had been killed I was glad to leave a thrill So far behind. And all the high-born ladies So lovely and so true, Have been handed to the soldiers When in Rome do as the Romans do. A monk and his mother were dancing so dandy A topless nun was handing out candy The beautiful bishop broke out the brandy The kiss we crave. They stuttered and stammered, would I feel like staying We fell to our knees, feverishly praying the salt in the salt-peter seemed to be saying Be brave, be brave. I reached reached for a robe, I preached and I probed And I taught the tune. And the greed for the gills was played to the hilt As I promised doom I toyed with their fears, until coins and tears filled the room Then I took off down the road Laughing madly like a toad God bless every soulless soul That would be saved. And all the high-born ladies So lovely and so true, Have been handed to the soldiers When in Rome do as the Romans do. A chorus of children were passing the hours I joined in their fun and gave them my flowers Covered with kisses and showered with showers That they repaid. Taken and trusting, would I be their teacher? She looked so appealing, I wanted to touch her Just out of reach, unable to reach her Their hands were raised. Charmed by the chalk, the lessons were taught, inside the class They studied the rules of the samurai schools, they had to pass The room was adjourned, the lessons were learned, I turned on the gas And I watched them make their pleas They passed the test with ease I gave them their degrees, They made the grade. And all the high-born ladies So lovely and so true, Have been handed to the soldiers When in Rome do as the Romans do. Feeling my weakness, a coward for company I joined the ranks of the hot and hungry To teach what it means to have love for your country We marched away. We lowered our lives for the lines of a border We danced with the mothers, played with the daughters We followed our fantasies, following orders It was child's play. After the war the bullets were bored so we capped the game With cynical smiles we put them on trial to place the blame Now what kind of beast would love such a feast Have you no shame? So we hung the by the feet Oh, we shot them in the street Oh, the victory was sweet on victory day. And all the high-born ladies So lovely and so true, Have been handed to the soldiers When in Rome do as the Romans do. The bread and the circuses came to be nearing The Saviour or somebody must be appearing Pagans and pageants were all disappearing Inside my head. The stones on the statues were staring and stalling Caesar and Cassius were cursing and calling The empire had risen and now it was falling Or so it seemed. The crown and the cross seemed empty and lost in dark despair And luminous lies, death in disguise were everywhere The canvas was cold, the story was old, I said my prayers Then I crowned him on the head Oh, I blessed him as he bled Oh At last, the king is dead God save the queen. And all the high-born ladies So lovely and so true, Have been handed to the soldiers When in Rome do as the Romans do. Now nothing remained for building or burning The losing of lovers was all I was learning A time for escape and a time for returning had come to me Back through the ashes and back through the embers Back through the roads and the ruins I remembered My hands at my side I sadly surrendered Do as you please. The hero was home, proven and grown, I fell on the floor Mad with romance they started to dance, their star was born I bled like the rain, exploded in pain, then I screamed for more Oh, make me feel sublime Release me from my mind Oh, Kill me one more time And set me free. And all the high-born ladies So lovely and so true, Have been handed to the soldiers When in Rome do as the Romans do.