House of Mirrors

He was born in Brooklyn
And grew up in the Church of Rome
There was a girl there who loved him and had faith
He loved her like a madman, he loved her like a fool

He got a lot of big ideas
And fought his way up to mad avenue
He navigated that bizarre world easily
He did good work and he was smart
He knew his superiors, he disdained his inferiors
He was proud and dignified
And she waited

The more money made
The more he wanted
The more glory he got
The more he wanted
His appetites were never sated

Everything he knew about himself
He drew from what was around him
You know
This suit is you
This car is you
This studio is you

People were no different
People were also his mirrors
Often he was their mirror as well
Life became complicated
And overstated
And underrated
And she waited

The more power he got
The more he wanted (naturally)
The more women he had
The more he wanted
His appetites were never sated

She finally married a wine salesman
And had three children
Sometimes he thinks of her
But it's a gnawing, painful memory
Eventually, like Napoleon, he attacked Russia