Per wikipedia:
Halcyon Days is the eighth studio album by American singer and pianist Bruce Hornsby. The album, recorded with his touring band the Noisemakers, was released in 2004. It was Hornsby’s first release with Columbia Records. One song, “What The Hell Happened”, has been described as a rare example of the use of bitonality in a pop piece.

The album marked a return to a more acoustic, piano-driven sound that reviewers described as “pure Hornsby”. Guests included Sting, Elton John and Eric Clapton. The tracks “Gonna Be Some Changes Made,” “Candy Mountain Run,” “Dreamland,” and “Circus On The Moon” became concert staples, each showcasing the diversity of Hornsby’s improvisations and the Noisemakers’ live sound.

Per Bruuuce.com:
The song … garnered some attention on Bruce’s recent Reddit, session not least for Bruce’s response on the story behind it:
“Circus” was inspired by the avalanche of school shootings that started happening, I guess, with Columbine and has been horrifyingly ubiquitous ever since.
—Bruce Hornsby, Reddit session April 16 2019

Hey out there, are you hearing my call
It’s a cry for help but all you see
Are these craters and these walls
I’ve erected in my room
I’d like you to see, I’m a performer with skills
Don’t make fun of me with my whistles and
My bullhorns and my bells
And I’ll hope you’ll see it soon
Getting ‘bout as much attention as a
Circus on the moon

I’m here with the elephants, I’m cleaning up mess
I’m trying to be special, but to you
I’m just like all the rest
Look what they’ve got me doing
Got a high wire act I can show you my skills
Trapeze and a bar across my heart, across my ills
Escape through a trap door and I’ll go on my way
Try as I do, I just can’t connect anyway
Getting ‘bout as much attention as a
Circus on the moon
Standing tall and lone in my circus on the moon

I’m a perfect little foil for the
Prognosticators of doom
I’ll bet you in a minute they’ll be
Searching my room
Watch out for the deluge I believe it’s
Coming soon
And I’ll bet you five bucks we’ll see the
Stars come out at noon
You can bet all you got I’ll get your
Attention soon
Getting ‘bout as much attention as a
Circus on the moon

I’m a stalwart trapeze artist on my
(Circus on the moon)
I’m a lonely tightrope walker in my
(Circus on the moon)
An accomplished virtuoso in my (circus on the)
Waving at you sweetly from my
(Circus on the moon)
Standing tall and lone in my circus on the moon
Three million miles away I’m staring at you in
My circus on the moon

Songwriters: Bruce Hornsby