Elvis Costello - Poisoned Rose lyrics

The poisoned rose

That you gave to me

It left me half alive

And half in ecstasy

But if half of your love

Is all I can win

Give me just a fraction

But no more medicine

The poisoned rose

On a Valentine card

That you take straight to the heart

That you call my junkyard

But if all I can do

is save pieces of you

The piece of your mind

The piece of your heart

Didn't tear me apart

Like the poisoned rose

I received from you

I don't know

How we came to grow

Into this very sad affair

Everytime we do the decent thing

Somebody spikes the drink

And a single becomes a pair

The poisoned rose

That you wear at your best

That I keep pressed between the white sheets

Where you lie half undressed

I threw away my shirt and shoes

You looked and I dived in

It's just you and me now

'Cause I threw away the gin

I threw away your alibis

And all your worn-out clothes

I threw myself upon the floor

But I couldn't throw away

This poisoned rose

This poisoned rose

This poisoned rose