CIrcus with wild animals

Life on the road is one hell of a struggle
For us human beings no matter how
Nomadic you are its travelling people
That seem to be able to work with it now
No fixed abode living out of some trailer
Weather permitting there’s difficulties
Getting fresh water and food has its problems
The Romany life for most doesn’t please

Introducing wild animals then there are problems
Caged up on trailers all over the place
No adequate exercise and as to the training
Often abuses are just a disgrace
Contraptions to force bears to stand on their hind legs
Chained to a wall if they falter and fall
They hang themselves literally high on the chain
That’s when they really experience pain
Suzhou in China represents those
Circuses training up bears I suppose
And wild Lions and monkeys all suffering so
Beaten and bruised but all part of the show

It’s not just in China it’s just anywhere
Expecting wild animals really to share
This nomadic life style and learn tricks as well
For them it is honestly criminal hell
It’s a challenge to live in a trailer at all
With foul spoken travellers just high on gall
All the worst intentions spitefully made
Their rancour and malice their stock in trade

It’s all very hurtful oppressively so
Starved and dehydrated that much we know
And all of the anger the frenzy they feel
Testiness petulance prickly for real
They feel the loathing the aversion the pain
They know they are unwelcome it just is a bane
On their lives moving weekly to another town
The big top goes up and the big top comes down

They really miss friendship and family goodwill
Though they be submissive their blood they still spill
That whip comes across if they make a mistake
Reminding them how many hours they must ache
Fear is the keyword it’s what drives them on
They just feel so hopeless life is one con
Leg pulling banter derision all day
Getting up early and working away

Feeling sick on the road feel hot feeling bad
And nobody caring that really is sad
No water to cool you and standing all day
As the trailer is swerving down the highway
A lifetime of this makes it long makes it hard
Always on edge always on guard
Expecting a thrashing expecting to feel
The pang of the bull hook that again will reveal

Blood and such soreness and maybe tonight
You have to perform in that bloody spotlight
They will paint off the bruises so the punters won’t see
And despite its tenderness you have to be
Strong no complaints must not shake not at all
Despite your fatigue you must answer their call
There will be nothing soothing just a kick or a smack
And no way of sorting the pain in your back

When there’s not many in under lights it gets hot
The same old music no one likes a lot
The whip comes across and stings you until
You cry deep inside when you have had your fill
UNctuously hoping the time moves a long
And do what you have to till the final song
Relief comes in small parcels here on the stage
The artless confusion is so hard to gauge

Back on the chain pushed here and there
You just want to sleep but no one’s aware
Of your penchant for sleeping
Can’t they leave me alone
Let me lean here a moment
Just where I was thrown
Limiting factors that chains runs me raw
And nobody loves me no not anymore

If we could escape just run away
Hide in the forest on any day
I think death is favourable just close our eyes
All of the hardship I now realise
This is our Nemesis defiantly so
Open the shutter and just let us go
We can run in the road limp off somewhere
And lay down and die no one knowing we are there

That would be wonderful just wild again
A real prescription simple and plain
The smell of the forest the damp of the ground
With other wild souls clearly around
Just reminiscing of the family times when
As children we played in the front of the den
Redemption seemed possible hopefully so
Open the shutter doors and let us go