Puppet Sonnet Numero Seis

became a big fan of Elvis Costello in the 80s, people looking for a new rock Messiah as the aura of Dylan (or Zeppelin) faded and hard-edged music like the Clash of the Pretenders degenerated into cheese (eg Milli Vanilli, or electro-schmaltz, Baby dont hurt me). Some of the double entendres are quite witty, a Brit trying to make sense of sprawling NYC.

NEW AMSTERDAM

You're sending me tulips mistaken for lilies
You give me your lip after punching me silly
You turned my head till it rolled down the brain drain
If I had any sense now I wouldn't want it back again

Down on the mainspring, listen to the tick tock
Clock all the faces that move in on your block
Twice shy and dog tired because you've been bitten
Everything you say now sounds like it was ghost-written

Back in London they'll take you to heart after a little while
Though I look right at home I still feel like an exile
Somehow I found myself down at the dockside
Thinking about the old days of Liverpool and Rotherhithe
The transparent people who live on the other side
Living a life that is almost like suicide

New Amsterdam it's become much too much
Till I have the possession of everything she touches
Till I step on the brake to get out of her clutches
Till I speak double dutch to a real double duchess