Circus

Something happened to shake my poise -
Caravans and tents and noise,
Laughing girls and handsome boys,
Golden earrings and jet black hair,
Smell of sawdust in the air ...
"Come to the circus!" - so I went there.

I sat at the front, and I laughed and clapped
As I watched the ponies do their act.
I saw the elephants lumber round,
Tail to trunk they went round and round.
I clapped the dogs as they jumped through rings,
And I laughed when the monkeys did funny things ...
And somewhere, the Ringmaster cracked the whip.

When the show was done, no more spangles or fur,
I went for a walk where the animals were.
So I saw the cages with labelled doors,
Saw the haunted eyes, and the clipped-back claws
And I heard the pad of restless feet
As they trod their never-ending beat ...
And nearby, the Ringmaster cracked the whip.

I left the circus, I ran and ran,
I tried to leave it far behind,
Evict it's image from my mind.
But as I ran on frantic feet
I saw the cages on every street,
And the label on every door ...
And I heard the Ringmaster crack the whip.

I came to a cage where the tag read "Mother"
And the woman inside like many another
Cheerfully tended her little throng
While mindlessly humming a happy song.
In the cages in line, as their labels ordained,
People carried out acts that were deeply ingrained ...
While closer, the Ringmaster cracked the whip.

I walked further on, down the street of cages,
And there were my friends, and folk of all ages,
They were happily labelled, content in that zoo,
Performing as they had elected to do,
Yet sometimes they'd pause and gaze about,
Looking, perhaps, for some way out ...
But always the Ringmaster cracked the whip.

At the end of the row was a lovely room,
With birds that sang, and flowers in bloom,
And the welcoming door was opened wide,
And everything I could ever want was just inside.
I knew I could never wish for more,
I only needed to step through the door ...
And beside me the Ringmaster cracked the whip.