Phosphorescent lilies on the surface of the water
Forming floating constellations round the caravan
The Gyptians rule the marshlands
They can read them like the lines that trace
The future in the creases of your palm
They might not let us go but we'll be royalty
The queen adopts her prisoners into the ancient clan
If we submit to their initiation rites, and we survive
They'll make us part of all their secret plans
They say
If you want to
Stay
There is a price to
Pay
A sacrifice to
Make
What will you cast away
Cast away
Round the circle goes the flask
And hand to hand the pipe is passed
Until we almost can't remember who we are
Fireflies conspire with the lanterns on the fishing boats
To let us float among the drunken stars
We didn't mean to come here
But we never want to go back home
The children throw us silver after every song
We'll learn to ply the waterways
And serenade the cormorants
We'll roll our cuffs and let our hair grow long
They say
If you want to
Stay
There is a price to
Pay
A sacrifice to
Make
What will you cast away
They say
Would you give up your pinky finger
Stay
A roof over your head
Pay
Your great great grandmother's wedding ring or
Make
Your comfortable bed
They say
Would you lose that precious memory
Stay
Of your first true love
Pay
Your house your home your family
Make
Your shaky faith in God above
They say
If you want to (A tooth an eye a kidney)
Stay
There is a price to (Your future unborn babe)
Pay
A sacrifice to (The last ten years of your short life)
Make
What will you cast away
Cast away
Crickets chirp and nightjars sing
As fiddle bows meet fiddle strings
The music's in a tongue we don't yet understand
Jasmine blooms intoxicate
The choice was never ours to make
We're dizzy but
We know we're safe (We're dizzy but)
We're dizzy but (We know we're safe)
We know we're safe (We're dizzy but)
We're dizzy but (We know we're safe)
We know we're safe (We're dizzy but)
We know we're safe, we're dizzy but
We know we're safe
We're dizzy but
We know we're safe
We're dizzy but
The dancers smile and take us by the hand