The Man With The Ginger Lily

Ladies and gentlemen
We are now circling at thirty-three revolutions a minute
Not counting South America, over Mount Ararat
And losing height rapidly
Waiting for something to happen
But please keep calm, it won't be long
Before the experts will fix this up
With a little light music or a song
In the meantime, here is Mister Skillicorn of the captain staff
To show you some simple card tricks
To make us all laugh, thank you

Once upon a time
Each time upon the hour
In his historically accurate hat
Punctiliously he stands
His socks are black
The man who holds a ginger lily in his hands
And once again it's too late
Too late now for turning back

He waits on the topmost landing
Of that luxury apartment tower
In an optomystical hat
His touchingly confident hat

Under the same blue skylight
Walls are bland
With scarlet fire extinguishers
And pails of sand
And here's the man who holds
A full-blown ginger lily in his hand

Opens the door to chiming bells
On where a fragrant lady dwells
Proffers his lily to her feathered bower
She yells softly but shrilly
"Oh my God, what a revolting flower"

And the man with a ginger lily
And more or less no hat
Waves goodbye to the fire escape
As he leaves that lady's flat
Maybe he whispers "Help"
But nobody hears a sound
And he can't be blamed for the thud we felt
When he finally hit the ground