CHILDREN
WILL LISTEN
Stephen
Sondheim
Jackson Snyder Biblical Literature
ArcCenter
How do you
say to your child in the night
Nothing is
all black but then nothing is all white
How do you
say it will all be alright
When you
know that it mightn't be true,
What do you
do
Careful the
things you say children will listen
Careful the
things you do children will see and learn
Children may
not obey but children will listen
Children
will look to you for which way to turn
to learn
what to be
Careful
before you say listen to me
Children
will listen
Careful the
wish you make wishes are children
Careful the
path they take wishes come true, not free
Careful the
spell you cast not just on children,
sometimes
the spell may last past what you can see
and turn
against you
Careful the
tail you tell that is the spell
Children
will listen
How can you
say to a child who's in flight,
don't slip
away and I won't hold so tight
What can you
say that no matter how slight won't be misunderstood
What do you
leave to your child when you're dead
Only what
ever you put in its head
Things that
your mother and father had said
which were
left to them too
Careful what
you say, children will listen
Careful you
do it too children will see and learn, Oh
Guide them
but step away, children will glisten
Temper with
what is true and children will turn
if just to
be free
Careful
before you say listen to me
Children
will listen, children will listen
Children,
children will listen.