Dance, Jester

He wears a black and white striped mask with painted eyes
To cover the torn and bleeding sockets from which he cries
Checkered gloves hide his many scars
From the world beyond his mental cage, his invisible metal bars

Dancing in the hall of spades
The Jester feels no pain
He's a puppet of my very will
He dances again and again

The Jester's caught in the ropes he cannot see
I should cut them but instead I pull him closer to me
Making him dance
Dance, Jester
Dance for me

The Jester's act is over as I wander away
I don't stay to see the broken man of shame
He crawls into the corner shedding tears from damaged eyes
And yet the strings bind him tightly; he knows that he is mine

But as I return to him again
To watch him dance for me
I see a smile form across his face
A smile only I can see

Jester's just a dreamer's toy
Caught in the web of my past
Why can't I bring myself to take this knife
And cut him free at last

Because I love his masked face
The way he puts me in a trance
He is my muse to rid me of my memories
Dance, Jester, dance

The clock's bell is tolling
Tell me, what's the price
To pay for my unhappiness
Is it this Jester's life

Often I have wondered
Should I set the Jester free
But I can't bring myself to let him go
Because I love him, and he loves me

If I free him someone else will catch him
And cry, look at the freak!
They'll laugh and point and demand of him,
Dance, Jester, dance for me

But you don't have to worry, Jester dear
Dancing to a song no one can hear
I'll keep you safe from the outside world
So long as you dance, Jester
Dance once more for me