We had spoken before about deceiving each other

But I was deceiving you in a very subtle way

You thought that you were in Reykjavík

Whereas behind the shutters was Lisbon

I wanted this to please you

But thought that you might be offended

So we stayed in our room until

You felt safe to face the world again

As we rode on a beach tram

You said how pleased you were with my deceit

As you had never stayed in a white city before

You had visited pink cities and lilac towns

Black villages red green and blue

But nothing as pale as Lisbon White

I promised to take you travelling again

So that we might visit the islands

That sit quietly in the lime streams

Of the deep southern seas