Walk the often-traveled road
Searching for a land of gold
Many looked but never found
Others never spoke aloud
Secrets learned along the way
Hours spent from day to day
Tracking down a place of endless treasure
The journey sometimes breaks you down
The counterfeits may make you frown
But sifting through the fool’s gold
Deciphering the stories told
Digging deeper every day
This is just the price you pay
As your quest becomes your daily pleasure
Traveling from town to town
Learning still your way around
You’ve seen planted flags before
Accompanied by cheap decor
You’d hoped to quickly find what’s real
But cynical you start to feel
You were told this quest would make you better
Is it just the destination?
Are you seeking reparation?
What exactly is your goal?
Will this truly make you whole?
You don’t know, but you decide
That you must try before you die
To travel onwards through the stormy weather
With the will of Mansa Musa
And your trusty appaloosa
You’ve traveled countless days and nights
You think you finally see the light
Is your journey at an end?
Is it real or still pretend?
Suddenly, you feel light as a feather
The golden city, El Dorado?
A long rest for our desperado?
You breathe a deep sigh of relief
Gold as far as you can see
More abundant than you need
With gratitude, you tap your steed
For you could not have made it but together
A rose in Eden. One by one, the petals fall. The ground is stained red.