This Earth Lyrics

Dar Williams This Earth

In my life on earth
the things I have invented have invented me
I found my industry
I am not alone
I fashion friends from precious scraps
they hold the light they bend to serve me
joking that they don’t deserve me
after days of craft and care
I lift a sword and slice the air
Such has been my time upon this earth…this earth
Then my wife returns
more beautiful then when she left the night before
I show her things I made

The filigree of ferns, diamonds, snowflakes, tears of gold
She murmurs praise, a small caress; I smile to see her happiness
Silver webs with sand engrained
that catch and hold real drops of rain
Such has been my toil upon this earth…this earth
When I’m feeling vexed I go upstairs and bury something deep
Then stand back and push a button, from a distance watch the earth explode
This earth
I love this land of mortal men
They wake to know the fire again
The things we make, the things we feel,
Armored plates and molten steel
All of these inventions of the earth..the earth…this earth..