Journey to the Centre of the Earth (Live at Fairport's Cropredy Convention 2010)

By horse, by rail, by land, by sea, our journey starts

Two men incensed by one man's journey from the past

In Iceland, where the mountain stood with pride

They set off with their guide

To reach the mountain side

Roped as one for safety through the long descent

Into the crater of volcanic rock they went

Look up from our telescopic laair,

One star for us to share,

We continue on our prayer.

Crystals of opaque quartz, studded limpid tears,

Forming magic chandeliers, lighting blistered galleries.

Memories of a life on earth go flashing past,

Of home, of Grauben, friends of whom he's seen his last

Contemplating what his life's been worth,

While trapped beneath the earth,

An embryo at birth

Pain and fear destroy the beauty I have seen,

Of caverns, where no other man has been

Silurian epoch hosts me as my grave,

My final blow I wave,

A life too late to save

Crystals of opaque quartz, studded limpid tears,

Forming magic chandeliers, lighting blistered galleries.

Five days out on an infinite sea, they prayed for calm on an ocean free,

But the surface of the water ws indicating some disturbance.

The raft was hurled by an unseen source, two hundred feet, with

frightening force

And a dark mass rising showed to be a giant porpoise

Rising out of the angry sea, towered the creatures' enemy,

And so the two sea monsters closed for battle

Crocodile teeth, lizard's head, bloodshot eye, stained ocean red

Moving close to their raft's side, the two men prayed as one and cried

"Save me, save me, save me, save me"

The serpents' fight went on for hours, two monsters soaring up like towers

And driving downn to the depths in a single motion

Suddenly, the serpent's head, shot out of the water bathed in red

And the serpentine form lay lifeless on the ocean

Crocodile teeth, lizard's head, bloodshot eye stained ocean read

Battle won, a victor's pride, the three men thanked the Lord and cried

"Praise God, praise God, praise God, praise God."

Journey on through ages gone, to the centre of the earth

Past rocks of quartz and granite, which gave mother nature birth

Burial ground of ancient man, his life no more is seen,

A journey through his time unknown, I wonder where he's been

Wonder where he's been, wonder where he's been, wonder where he's been

The shore now gone behind the hills, a forest in our sight,

Rocks and distant mountains, bathed in waves of blinding light

Forests from far gone time, no living man has seen,

A private prehistoric world, for you and I a dream

Brownish hue dicates my eye, no colour hides their fear,

Flowers faded, dull and cold, now bleached by atmosphere

Creatures twisting under trees, huge monsters soaked with rage

Hidden deep below our earth, a frightening, bygone age

Their shepherd came, now long extinct, a huge primeval man

The three men filled with disbelief, just turned as one and ran.