Lyrics

You go to the bibliothèque for some information
Once upon a time it was a railway station
Now it’s just a fortress at the end of the line
And the lady at the desk has dubious designs
Chromium spectacles and jet black curls
Serpentine silhouhette legs unfurl
She slips among the stacks with ease
Mistress of the talking trees

Swirling leaves of early fall days
Gaslamps lighting endless hallways
Catalogue of cards in a mahogany case
Each one carved with another dead man’s face
Now you find you’ve lost your place
Somewhere in the nowhere space
Where leather turns to dust
And culture goes to die

Welcome to the li-li-li-li-li-li-li-li, li-li-li-li-li-li-li li-i-brary…

You open up a book of spells in a cloistered chamber
Fragile pages licked by flames, her
Footfalls echo outside the door
She tries to get to you before - too late.
You find yourself singing in a Babylon tongue
Written when the world was young
The words are on your lips
The ink is on her thigh

Hallowed be the li-li-li-li-li-li-li-li-bra-ri-an…

In the beginning was the Word
And the magic of her quill
And a moment of free will
Before the ink began to dry
But your song was never heard
And her Lady’s pen can kill
So you bide your time until
She can breathe you back to life
She says “I’d love to turn you on.”

In the crypt below the station clock
You run into Francesca Lia Block
Under a portrait of a pompous queen
You share a pipe with J.R.R. Tolkien
But when you try to find the door
The raven says, “nevermore!”
You never paid your fine
Here you are consigned
Better find the li-li-li-li-li-li-li-li, li-li-li-li-li-li-li li-i-bra-ri-an…

© 2023 Jude Roberts (Robert Jude DiBennardo)