The Guitar Lesson

Lyrics

[Verse 1] The pupil is twelve, attractive, withdrawn In a midnight blue school uniform Lips just a little too full for her face Distant eyes full of space [Refrain] In her posture, no trace of coquette No defiance [Verse 2] She fingers the frets looking forlorn Crossing her legs where her tights have been torn Starts as her mother comes into the room And the afternoon grows still [Refrain] And her mother feels a chill Shivers and buttons her coat [Verse 3] I gently correct the curve of her back And open her book in the now-empty flat At the classical piece I've had her prepare And her arms are bare as she plays [Refrain] And I draw back behind her ear A few strands of hair gone astray [Instrumental Break] [Bridge] She shows me her bracelet, the lesson is done I turn it around between finger and thumb We sit face to face and it seems to me that Her face is the face of a cat And touching the place where her breasts will be I press my hand flat She comes into my lap, I turn her around Her hands clasp my neck and her feet skim the ground Her skirt travels up under my palm But the pupil sits looking so calm As if listening to the distant sound Of a burglar alarm [Instrumental Break] [Outro] What happened next is hard to recall The guitar lesson left no traces at all Now, from afar, it seems to resemble A strange composition in oil Of a man, a guitar, and an innocent little girl