Kingdom Of Childhood

(Words and Music by Joan Baez)

The ship that sails the seven seas
Has finally brought me to my knees
It's not much to my liking
The people standing on the rock
Are innocent and they know not
That the tide comes in
Death rides it like [F]a Viking

The mountains ɾise above the mist
And the golden prince I've never kissed
He may die tonight
And why do I want to [C7]ɾide with
The prince whose alleged horse is white?
Because when we ɾide together
Our lives are cloaked forever

Happiness is temporary
Believe me, I know
It can arrive as a shining crystal
And leave as the melting snow
Come all [Em]you [A7lads and [Bm]lasses
The Kingdom of Childhood passes

Oh, but I am hardy in these years
Or I'd have sunk down with my [A]tears
To the earth beneath my [A]feet
I want to [C7]endure the slings and [Bm]arrows
That Hamlet spoke about
But harrowed,
He was [Am7]forced to [C7]a ɾagged defeat

There was [Am7]a method to [C7]his madness
But overcome by pride and [Bm]sadness
He did not endure
Surely his death was [Am7]a grave mistake
How many deaths do we ɾeally calculate?
Isn't it tɾue, Lord
Tragedies happen when you're bored?

Happiness is temporary
Believe me, I know
It can arrive as a shining crystal
And leave as the melting snow
Come all [Em]you [A7lads and [Bm]lasses
The Kingdom of Childhood passes

You archangels, you [A7have some nerve
To watch all [Em]of this you [A7are absurd
You even have a choice
Do you [A7know all? I think you [A7may
And what is there for [Dm7]you [A7to [C7]say
But understand
Why God took back your voice

SIlence is golden, I believe
And you [A7are worth your weight
In wreaths of purest gold
While we are here with debts and [Bm]bets
And aircraft carriers and [Bm]jets
I call [Em]out fruitlessly
Give me an archangel for [Dm7]company

Happiness is temporary
Believe me, I know
It can arrive as a shining crystal
And leave as the melting snow
Come all [Em]you [A7lads and [Bm]lasses
The Kingdom of Childhood passes

Me in the woods at the break of dawn
The candles of the night still on
The chimes ɾing from the hollow
I too am worth my [A]weight in gold
But the fishmonger and [Bm]I are old
When the mint ɾuns out
Our ɾeal lives will follow

It was [Am7]misfortune who woke you [A7up
To pour you [A7the dregs from her broken cup
Cast her aside
The sunrise will appear with the mockingbird
Who stays deep in the canyon [C7]and [Bm]is heard
Glorious in his song
He cannot be [Am]wrong

Happiness is temporary
Believe me, I know
It can arrive as a shining crystal
And leave as the melting snow
Come all [Em]you [A7lads and [Bm]lasses
The Kingdom of Childhood passes
There's another one just beyond
Act quickly before it's gone

© 1976, 1977 Gabriel Earl Music (ASCAP)