Damien Rice
Lyric guide

On Children

Read On Children lyrics by Damien Rice on LyroVerse, with linked artist context and related song paths.

Damien Rice visibility8 visits Video on page
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Page type: lyric reference Artist: Damien Rice Canonical path: /damien-rice/on-children Related lyric paths: 6 Video embedded: yes
Lyrics

On Children

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Your children are not your children

They are the sons and daughters of life's longing for itself

They come through you, not from you

Though they are with you, they belong to themselves

You may give them your love but not your thoughts

For they have thoughts for their own

You may house their bodies but not their souls

For their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow

Which you cannot visit, not even in your dreams

You may strive to be like them, but seek not to make them like you

For life goes not backward nor tarries with yesterday

You are the bows from which your children as living arrows are sent forth

The archer sees the mark upon the path of the infinite

And he bends you with his might

That his arrows may go swift and far

Let your bending in the archer's hand be for gladness

For even as he loves the arrow that flies

So he loves the bow that is stable

Let your bending in the archer's hand be for gladness

For even as he loves the arrow that flies

So he loves the bow that is stable

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Who performs "On Children"?

Damien Rice performs "On Children", and this lyric page sits inside the Damien Rice catalog on LyroVerse.

Are there related songs to explore after "On Children"?

Yes. The related section below points to When Doves Cry and Stoic with a short reason for opening each page next.

Where can I find more songs by Damien Rice?

Use the artist link near the top of the page or the related paths section below to keep moving through Damien Rice's lyric pages.

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