Circle of Steel

Rows of lights in a circle of steel

Where you place your bets on a great big wheel

High windows flickerin' down through the snow

A time you know

Sights and sounds of the people goin' round

Everybody's in step with the season

A child is born to a welfare case

Where the rats run around like they own the place

The room is chilly, the building is old

That's how it goes

The doctors found on his welfare rounds

And he comes and he leaves on the double

"Deck the Halls" was the song they played

In the flat next door where they shout all day

She tips her gin bottle back till its gone

The child is strong

A week, a day, they will take it away

For they know about all her bad habits

Christmas dawns and the snow lets up

And the sun hits the handle of her heirloom cup

She hides her face in her hands for a while

Says, "Look here child"

"Your fathers pride was his means to provide

And he's servin' three years for that reason"

Rows of lights in a circle of steel

Where you place your bets on a great big wheel

High windows flickerin' down through the snow

A time you know

Sights and sounds of the people goin' round

Everybody's in step with the season