The pipes in my room begin seething As I lie in bed barely breathing
Though I always knew We'd be legends one day I'd never have guessed you To do it that way
We tried our best to be frugal And liquor was cheap on MacDougal
We posed under streetlamps As if we were on stage When Kafka was the rage
I saw the world as empty, Corrupted and absurd I was quite the haunting figure then So thin and self-assured And half a dozen women Devoured my every word And I took it all in stride Took it all in stride
I put the whole world on notice While you strained to master the lotus
Joyce was a titan And Miller was a sage When Kafka was the rage
A brilliant new world order Was rising in my head And at least a dozen women Were eager to be led While Blake's Collected Poems Collected dust beside my bed And I took it all in stride Took it all in stride
Was it by chance or mere magic That one simple glance Proved so tragic
I was half-crazy And you were half my age When Kafka was the rage When Kafka was the rage