Kingdom Of Childhood
Joan Baez Lyrics

The ship that sails the seven seas
My travels have brought me far and wide.

Has finally brought me to my knees
But I am humbled by my experiences.

It's not much to my liking
I may not always enjoy where I end up.

The people standing on the rock
The people I encounter are often unaware of the dangers around them.

Are innocent and they know not
They are naive, lacking in knowledge or experience.

That the tide comes in
Dangerous forces are at work, threatening them.

Death rides it like a Viking
Death is a powerful, unstoppable force.

The mountains rise above the mist
I am often surrounded by mystery and uncertainty.

And the golden prince I've never kissed
There are things in life I have not experienced, despite my travels.

He may die tonight
Anything can happen, even to those with seemingly perfect lives.

And why do I want to ride with
But I desire to be a part of that world, even if it is fleeting.

The prince whose alleged horse is white?
Even if the reality is not as perfect as it seems.

Because when we ride together
When I am a part of something bigger than myself.

Our lives are cloaked forever
Our experiences are intertwined and leave a lasting impression.

Happiness is temporary
Joy is fleeting in this world.

Believe me, I know
I have learned this through my own experiences.

It can arrive as a shining crystal
When happiness comes, it is beautiful and pure.

And leave as the melting snow
But it melts away just as quickly, leaving behind only memories.

Come all you lads and lasses
Listen to my words, young and old alike.

The Kingdom of Childhood passes
Childhood is fleeting and gone before we know it.

Oh, but I am hardy in these years
But even in adulthood, I am strong enough to persevere.

Or I'd have sunk down with my tears
Or else I would have given up long ago.

To the earth beneath my feet
I remain grounded, despite the hardships.

I want to endure the slings and arrows
I am not satisfied with simply surviving, I want to thrive.

That Hamlet spoke about
I want to overcome the challenges, as Hamlet did.

But harrowed,
But it is not always easy to do so.

He was forced to a ragged defeat
Even great men can be brought down by their struggles.

There was a method to his madness
But there was still value in his journey.

But overcome by pride and sadness
Despite his strengths, he was ultimately brought down by his own emotions.

He did not endure
He was not able to overcome the obstacles completely.

Surely his death was a grave mistake
The tragic end of his journey was a great loss.

How many deaths do we really calculate?
How many great losses are there in the world?

Isn't it true, Lord
I ask God this question.

Tragedies happen when you're bored?
Do bad things happen as a result of idleness or apathy?

You archangels, you have some nerve
I address the angels themselves.

To watch all of this you are absurd
It seems ridiculous for them to watch over us.

You even have a choice
They have the power to intervene.

Do you know all? I think you may
They may have the knowledge to avert disasters.

And what is there for you to say
But they can only observe.

But understand
They do understand our struggles.

Why God took back your voice
Even the angels may have their limits.

SIlence is golden, I believe
I believe that sometimes it is best to remain silent.

And you are worth your weight
But their worth is immeasurable.

In wreaths of purest gold
They are uniquely important and valuable.

While we are here with debts and bets
Meanwhile, we struggle with our everyday lives.

And aircraft carriers and jets
Even our most advanced technology is not enough to solve our problems.

I call out fruitlessly
Despite all my searching, I cannot find what I am looking for.

Give me an archangel for company
I want divine guidance to help me through my struggles.

Me in the woods at the break of dawn
I still have moments of contemplation and peace.

The candles of the night still on
The darkness of the night still lingers.

The chimes ring from the hollow
But there are still signs of hope and beauty in the world.

I too am worth my weight in gold
I recognize my own value and worth.

But the fishmonger and I are old
But even with age, there are still struggles to overcome.

When the mint runs out
When my resources are exhausted,

Our real lives will follow
I will be forced to confront the harsh realities of life.

It was misfortune who woke you up
Sometimes tragedy is what sparks change in us.

To pour you the dregs from her broken cup
The harsh reality of life is often a bitter pill to swallow.

Cast her aside
But we must not be defeated by these struggles.

The sunrise will appear with the mockingbird
There will always be a new day and new opportunities for growth and change.

Who stays deep in the canyon and is heard
There is beauty in even the most unlikely places.

Glorious in his song
And there are moments of pure joy and beauty to be found.

He cannot be wrong
Even in his own unique voice, he is pure and true.

There's another one just beyond
There is always a new experience waiting for us.

Act quickly before it's gone
But we must seize these moments before they slip away.