[Steam calliope] [Bells and brass] [Crowds cheering in the distance] Verse 1 I came upon the Exhibition As the daylight slipped away, A city made of lanterns Where no city stood by day. A hundred wheels were turning, A thousand lamps were bright, And mechanical angels Were circling through the night. Steam organs sang like cathedrals, Clockwork doves crossed overhead, Choirs hung from balloon baskets, Trailing golden light instead. One banner read: WONDERS! SIGNS! Manifestations NIGHTLY! And I'll admit, I want some of that! Verse 2 There were Professors of Prophecy, And Generals of Glory too, A man who'd built a brass machine To tell what dreams meant for you. One lady sold bottled moonlight. Another sold bottled rain. A fellow claimed he'd captured A miracle on a chain. Nearby were the Morris Dancers, With bells from boot to knee, Adding fresh ribbons every year For extra credibility. One swore a leg grew three inches. One claimed gold dust in tea. One said a steam-powered cherub Had winked directly at him. Chorus Come and see the Wonders! Come and see the Show! Steam-powered Hallelujahs And angels all aglow! Come and see the Wonders! The finest ever seen! Come and lose yourself tonight Inside the grand machine! Verse 3 The crowds grew thick around me. The brass bands filled the square. Fireworks climbed the heavens Like prayers sent through the air. Everywhere were stories. Everywhere were signs. Everywhere were people Certain they had touched divine. The music kept on swelling. The dancers spun around. And for a moment I believed I'd finally found what I'd been travelling for. Chorus Come and see the Wonders! Come and see the Show! Steam-powered Hallelujahs And angels all aglow! Come and see the Wonders! The finest ever seen! Come and lose yourself tonight Inside the grand machine! Verse 4 Leaving late that evening, Still dazzled by the lights, I missed my footing on a lane Half hidden in the night. Nothing grand or tragic. Just a muddy banking side. A twisted ankle, Bruised pride, And nowhere warm to hide. The Exhibition carried on. The fireworks lit the sky. But I could barely manage To walk another mile. Verse 5 Then a family found me Beside an old stone wall, In a house too small for comfort And not much room at all. The roof leaked near the chimney. The fire burned low and weak. The soup had been stretched twice already Before they gave some me. The father moved my chair nearer. The children gave up space. The mother wrapped a blanket round me And smiled without a trace Of wanting recognition. Of wanting praise or fame. They simply carried on loving. As if it were the most ordinary thing. Refrain Outside the bells kept ringing. Outside the crowds still cheered. Outside the angels circled. Outside the wonders appeared. But somehow all that glory Felt strangely far away, Like hearing distant music Across a field of hay. Verse 6 One evening by the hearthfire I happened to observe The father taking less for himself Than he thought he deserved. The mother mending someone's coat Long after she'd grown tired. The children sharing one last piece Before they all retired. Nobody made announcements. Nobody sold a seat. Nobody called it miraculous. Nobody labelled anything. Bridge And suddenly the Exhibition, With all its lights and sound, Seemed smaller than the kindness I'd quietly found. Not because the wonders vanished. Nor because they weren't real. But because I'd almost mistaken The feeling For the thing itself. Final Chorus Come and see the Wonders! Come and see the Show! Steam-powered Hallelujahs And angels all aglow! Come and see the Wonders! The finest ever seen! But sometimes what we're searching for Lives nowhere near the stage. Final Refrain The bells were loud, The crowds were many, The angels filled the sky. Yet love was sitting by the fire And I nearly walked it by. The bells were loud, The crowds were many, The wonders filled the night. Yet love was sitting by the fire Without a single spotlight. Outro The next morning when I left, The Exhibition had moved on. The field stood quiet in the sunlight. The banners all were gone. But the little house remained, Chimney smoke drifting away. And somehow that small hearthfire Stayed brighter in my memory Than all the wonders I had seen. [Distant accordion] [Soft bells fade away] (I slowly slipped away...)
