Desolation Row

If you lean your head out far enough
From Desolation Row
If you threaten to jump off the Brooklyn Bridge and end up in Bellevue Psych ward
for observation as Dylan did in 1961. Lilly, Rosemary and the Jack of Hearts “he
done a lot of bad things even once tried suicide” and he write about this in the
liner notes to The Times They are A-changing.
Across the street they’ve nailed the curtains
They’re getting ready for the feast
The Phantom of the Opera
In a perfect image of a priest
They’re spoon feeding Casanova
To get him to feel more assured
Then they’ll kill him with self-confidence
After poisoning him with words
And the Phantom’s shouting to skinny girls
“Get Outa Here If You Don’t Know
Casanova is just being punished for going
To Desolation Row”
Across the street
In another venue
They’ve nailed the curtains
They have nailed down everything that could possibly be stolen by corrupt cops
They’re getting ready for the feast
They are getting ready for the predatory Irish Catholic cops to feast on Lenny
Bruce. To bust his ass.
The Phantom of the Opera
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