Clink, clink, clatter, rattle
The penny dropped
Iconized, though slightly slouched he
Raised both his arms,
raised his head

Outside the cabinet there stood a little girl,
goggle-eyed and quite atounded
Gazed at the wizard,
Gazed at the crystal-ball

Dear Mr. Sage, what do you see?
Is it my dream? - It was here with me
Now it is lost
Where can it be?

Overall Meaning

The opening lines of Bel Canto's song "The Magic Box I" set the scene with a series of onomatopoeic words that effectively capture the sounds of a magician's performance. The reference to a "penny dropped" is a familiar phrase which suggests that something has just clicked – in this case, perhaps the success of the magical trick performed. The magician himself is described as "iconized" – almost as if he has become a symbol of something – and "slightly slouched". It's interesting to consider what these details might mean; perhaps the magician is not quite as impressive up close but still manages to put on a convincing show.

Line by Line Meaning

Clink, clink, clatter, rattle
There are various sounds that indicate something is being dropped

The penny dropped
The realization of something has just occurred

Iconized, though slightly slouched he
The wizard was revered, although his posture left something to be desired

Raised both his arms,
He stretched his arms upwards

raised his head
He lifted his head upwards

Outside the cabinet there stood a little girl,
There was a young girl standing outside the cabinet

goggle-eyed and quite atounded
She was in awe and amazed

Gazed at the wizard,
She looked intently at the wizard

Gazed at the crystal-ball
She looked at the crystal-ball with wonder

Dear Mr. Sage, what do you see?
She asks the wizard what he can see in the crystal-ball

Is it my dream? - It was here with me
She wonders if what she's looking for is still with her