The lights are bright in the circus
The geeks and the freaks 
All light cigarettes and laugh at your misery
While the weight of the curtain closing crushes your heart
The inertia of loneliness tears your flesh apart

It's a long slow slide
It's a long slow slide
It's a long slow slide down

Once the neon is gone
There's still that golden splinter at your side
His manners are charming
But who are you fooling
You're still nobody's bride
And Bukowski's widow
Haunts each empty seat on the ferris wheel
As ghoulish lovers collide 
In a collage of kisses that they steal

It's a long slow slide
It's a long slow slide
It's a long slow slide down

And outside the window the circus 
Crackles and lurches with rings of smoke
You laugh halfheartedly at the punch line
Not realizing they've made you the joke
And inside my heart a war is raging
A region still untamed
The worst fear I can imagine is for the mystery to be named
Is for the mystery to be named

It's a long slow slide
It's a long slow slide
It's a long slow slide
It's a long slow slide
It's a long slow slide
It's a long slow slide down