Eleven top hats
In the club vestibule
Eleven gentlemen's cloaks

Hanging up by the black swimming pool
Eleven gentlemen dancing
Each in a style of his own
One is discreetly conversing
On a cordless telephone

& the first he kills only the wicked
& the second kills only the good
& the third he kills people more handsome than him
& the fourth kills the misunderstood
& the fifth kills the women who've loved him
& the sixth kills the couldn't-care-less
The seventh kills people who fill questionnaires in
The eighth kills the deeply depressed
& the ninth kills the twentieth century
& the tenth waits to kill you & me
The eleventh kills only our fear of the tenth
The best executioner he

At some ungodly hour in the morning
The predictable quarrels begin
The first gentleman without warning
Slugs the second one square on the chin
& the third says the fourth is too ugly
& the fifth warns the sixth not to start
& the seventh stops dead in his telephone call
A stiletto has punctured his heart
& the eighth is sick in the cistern
& the floodwaters fuse all the lights
& the ninth drops his copy of "Jane's Defense Systems" on the floor
In an act of sheer spite
& the tenth drums his fingers & swings his feet
Because somebody's stolen his scythe
Till an expert in brinksmanship brings him complete
A medium range nuclear device

& now chairs will be placed on the dance floor
& now lights will be trained on the bar
& a puppet will sing a morality
As an idiot strums a guitar

While the gentlemen sit with erections
You perform in a transparent skirt
A climax without satisfaction
& a murder in which you're not hurt

& me
I sit where the gentlemen sit
& we love you
& we love you
Yes we love you
I assure you we do

La la la la la la la plainy
La la la la la la la ploppy
La la la la la la la rolly
La la la la la la la backy
Rattle tum a gypsum gypsum left hand
Rattle tum a gypsum gypsum right hand
Rattle tum a gypsum gypsum touch your head
Rattle tum a gypsum gypsum touch your toe
Rattle tum a gypsum gypsum touch the ground
Rattle tum a gypsum gypsum big burlio!
Rattle tum a gypsum gypsum plainy
Rattle tum a gypsum gypsum ploppy!
Rattle tum a gypsum gypsum rolly
Rattle tum a gypsum gypsum backy
Rattle tum a gypsum gypsum left hand

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