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