Am G Your children are not your children. F G They are the sons and daughters of Life's longing for itself, F Am They come through you, but not from you G Am And though they're with you, they belong to themselves. [Verse 2] Am G You may give them your love, but not your thoughts. F G For they have thoughts of their own, F Am You may house their bodies but not their souls, G Am For their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow, which you cannot visit, not even in your dreams, [Chorus 1] F G Am Am (2x) UUUUuuuuuuh [Verse 3] Am G You may strive to be like them, F G but seek not to make them like you. F Am For life goes, not backward G Am nor tarries with yesterday. [Verse 4] Am G You are the bows from which your children, F G as living arrows are sent forth, F Am The archer sees the mark upon the path of the infinite, G Am and He bends you, with His might that His arrows may go swift and far. [Chorus 2] F G Am Am (2x) UUUUuuuuuh F G Am Let your bending in the archer's hand be for gladness; F G Am as He loves the arrow that flies, He loves all that is is stable, F G Am Let your bending in the archer's hand be for gladness, F G Am for even as he loves the arrow that flies, he loves also the bow that is stable