What Old Father Earth Asked Of His Daughter Lyrics

My daughter, my daughter, come and play

No my father, I cannot stay

But I have built a world for you

I am sorry father, it will not do

What of the trees that dance in the breeze

I am sorry father, they will not please

What of the cave where sprites rave

I am sorry father, I do not crave

I will rumble and I will quake

I will destroy and I will unmake

I will cave in and I will tear down

I will burn and I will drown

Unless oh child

Oh daughter you stay

Oh no my father

Not even a single day

What of the stream where fish strobe and beam

I am sorry father, I am not keen

Then tell me child, what do you need?

What can I make to keep you seed?

I am sorry father, I need the sky

Where my mother is free to fly

I need the sea where sisters drift

I need the mist where grandmothers sift

I will rumble and I will quake

I will destroy and I will unmake

I will cave in and I will tear down

I will burn and I will drown

Unless oh child

Oh daughter you stay

Oh no my father

Not even a single day

It is not you, you are not to blame

But father and daughter are not the same

You build on earth, you call it home

My kin and I must rove and roam

I will rumble and I will quake

I will destroy and I will unmake

I will cave in and I will tear down

I will burn and I will drown

Unless oh child

Oh daughter you stay

Oh no my father

Not even a single day