Sack of Ilium (Nero’s Violin)

From this garden countryside, this city’s flames are reaching high
Burning bright this city’s ghastly glow
I just keep your hand in mine and listen to the lullaby
Played from a tower above the fiery growth
We can make it disappear, from this far it’s hard to hear
The raspy gasping from the grotesque torch
The crazy king laughing loud, an empire in a smoky shroud
We just stand and smile as the Earth’s scorched

A useless note in a worthless chord
In a wasted song tossed overboard
Like the things I’ve seen and never want to see again
Like Nero’s violin

That smile brings a grace to your face as a skein of smoke slowly decays
Our lips part to the start of a new day
Sunlight creeps across the ash, but you and I don’t notice that
A dark art, in our hearts, we’re worlds away
We pass by crepe gardenia, ignoring the hysteria
In our minds, the time is standing still
The Domus Aurea of our bond, we walk away still holding on
As the detuned strings sing an awful shrill

A useless note in a worthless chord
In a wasted song tossed overboard
Like the things I’ve seen and never want to see again
Like Nero’s violin

We amble through the ambient heat, ignoring the ember laden streets
Discrete sweet nothings pouring out
No, we don’t hear the shadow laughing loud
It’s just us in the God-forsaken town

A useless note in a worthless chord
In a wasted song tossed overboard
Like the things I’ve seen and never want to see again
Like Nero’s violin