Heart of Brass

In the dirigible's gondola, the clouds fog up your monocle You wipe it with a handkerchief embroidered with a monogram Looking for lost continents, you'd better check your pocket watch We won't be home for luncheon but they'll keep the platters warm Not as pure as gold (a captive of the scientist) Not as sharp as glass (he practiced his experiments) Not as strong as stone (flesh and blood will never last) My baby's got a heart of brass Underneath the diving bell, return to the submersible Before the lonely nautilus can wrap you in its tentacles Moistening your handkerchief to polish your discoveries The needle of the compass doesn't point to any north Not as pure as gold (a captive of the scientist) Not as sharp as glass (she practiced her experiments) Not as strong as stone (flesh and blood will never last) My baby's got a heart of brass Quince paste laced with laudanum will get you through the tedium Of waiting to be rescued from inside the sanitarium The esoteric brotherhood suspect you're up to nothing good The ampule in your handkerchief will put them all to sleep We're all some kind of machine We're only cogwheels, pistons and steam All of us powered by water and heat It makes our tick-tock hearts beat beat beat beat Beat beat beat beat beat beat beat beat The automaton forever sits, its hand upon the writing desk Gently grips a fountain pen that circumscribes an arabesque Deciphering the messages encrypted by the alchemist A handkerchief will wipe away the secrets that it keeps Not as pure as gold (a captive of the scientist) Not as sharp as glass (he practiced his experiments) Not as strong as stone (flesh and blood will never last) My baby's got a heart of brass Floating down the Amazon, we wonder if we've gone too far and Plunge into the whirlpool at the basin of the waterfall Scribbling this chronicle, the fog clouds up your monocle A handkerchief can stopper up our message in a bottle We have left it gently bobbing on the surface of the water As we sail around the spiral into mystery or miracle Cry into your scry glass, inquire of your oracle Squint into your spyglass, you can see us wave farewell