The Show
J.White Lyrics

What melancholy magic
What inexplicable presence has permeated this space?

Has turned a multitude into mush
That renders the assembled audience a collection of slack-jawed and awestruck individuals?

Mandibles drop from shock
They are left speechless in their surprise?

An old lady at high altitude
An elderly woman elevated above the ground?

Whispering hush
Uttering a gentle plea for quiet?

She slips off her white shoes
She casually discards her footwear?

And grabs her tenor pacifier
She retrieves her trusted musical instrument?

From its stand
Lifted from the support holding it up?

Thirty half steps to the microphone
A set of precise musical movements lead her to the microphone, avoiding any potential misstep?

Smile on her face
Wearing a happy expression on her countenance?

Flower in her hand
Holding a flower in her grasp?

Oh how a crowd can melt
The power of a performer can cause the audience to dissolve?

When they've been dealt
When they have been presented with?

Such a deliciously delicate blow
Something exquisitely crafted, with a light touch that stirs them deeply?

By a barefooted fairy
A tiny, magical figure unbound by the constraints of shoes?

Not with a clang but a whisper
The transformation is subtle and gentle, not obvious and brash?

Totally stealing the show
The act is so captivating that it becomes the main attraction?

Fools desire distraction
Foolish people prefer to be sidetracked?

And not take to heart
They fail to appreciate and internalize it?

Their faces to their gadgets fall south
Their attention is given over to their electronic devices, making their faces droop downward?

Ignoring the beauty of a fog on a hill
Failing to recognize the simple, natural beauty around them?

And a kitten with a mouse in its mouth
Failing to appreciate the whimsy of life, such as a cat carrying a rodent?

A motley mob settles down
An assorted group of people take a seat and stop moving?

And there's hardly a frown
Everyone appears satisfied and without disapproval?

As the air in the temple turns to mist
The atmosphere in the room transforms to a haze of water droplets?

A spotlight, a mark and a cleanse of the throat
A focused beam of light illuminates a point on stage where she clears her throat?

And her microphone gently is kissed
She brushes her mouth against the microphone with a soft touch?

You can hear a boot lace
The sound of a small, mundane object?

And a speck of dust taste
The sensation of a tiny particle entering one's mouth?

As the babe bravely stared down the herb
The performer courageously confronting the musical challenge before her?

But she played not a note
Instead of making a sound with her instrument, she did something different?

And only one moment spoke
Making a statement with a single action or gesture?

These simple and poignant five words
A brief, but striking phrase?

You people are totally absurd
A sharp and cutting critique of the audience's behavior?