Golden Lead
Golden Lead
by Eston Valia
The alchemist observed his lead,
Encased in the Great Dome not yet red,
This unsolved myst’ry he’d solve first,
So he always said.
“A while I’ll wait
I’ll bide my time,
E’en though I hate it
’Tis no crime
Not least when I think
Of what soon will be mine.”
As long as his partner could he live,
As long as the Sun to him would give
The help that he needed,
As long as his partner simply heeded him.
The Sun, however, he’s no fool
And would be used as no mere tool
To elevate th’ alchemist high as he
When the man acted selfishly.
“Think he
That me
He can manipulate,
From me
Can he
Well anticipate
A grand surprise,
No compromise,
Him I’ll educate.”
Devising his plan, the Sun went on his way,
While his aspiring client could be heard to say
That before long there would come a day
When the Sun himself just may
Envy his lifespan, match’d or more,
Wonder at his astronomical store
Of coins same coloured as the Sun
Second in size to simply none,
Towering even over Babel
But this man’d somehow be able
To keep them all before his eyes,
Only the truth to realize.
At last they met
As the Sun prepared to set.
“Hail! Good sir,” did the man proclaim,
Believing the Sun ign’rant of his aim,
“I am come here of you t’ implore
Just a small thing, nothing more.”
Ignorance the Sun did feign,
Knowing ’twas for all men’s gain.
“Speak,” said he,
“Ask what you will
And I shall see.
Give a moment till
I decide
If it be right.”
“Oh! Giver of life,
Oh, marvellous one,
Oh, ender of strife,
Oh, glorious Sun,
Cast on this lead
Thy shimmering light
Then it will be said
And it will be right,
That thine is pow’r absolute
And you will receive deservéd salute.”
“My power to all men
Has been well known,
An aeon and ten
So needn’t be shown.
However, as thou here art come
I’ll do my best,
Strike learned dumb.”
This as he very well should
The alchemist full understood
To mean that the Sun on the lead would shine
And give it appearance grand divine.
All the village this could see
And would run out with jubilant glee
Hoped he.
The Sun then shone
On the lead
With all the force of a new dawn.
“Oh! You fool
Could you not see,
You were but a tool
To elevate me!
For they all will find
Beauty, bringing a daze,
And they’ll leave you behind
As they show’r me with praise.”
“Ah! My poor boy
If only you knew
I’m not such a toy,
And I see all that’s true.
Now observe with care,
As I unveil the truth,
As you lose all the hair
You’ve gained from infant youth.”
And with that, the Sun focused hard,
Aware that he was en retard
And the lead, he liquidated,
Leaving the greedy man well-sedated.
Before taking his leave, he stated:
“As you will see, the gold was within
But you were blinded by your sin.
Nought can become what it already is
So search within for this coveted bliss.
It is indeed immensely sad,
That you sought out what you already had.”
And the alchemist picked up the speck of gold remaining of the lead,
And sought solace in the Great Dome, now deepest red.
by Eston Valia
The alchemist observed his lead,
Encased in the Great Dome not yet red,
This unsolved myst’ry he’d solve first,
So he always said.
“A while I’ll wait
I’ll bide my time,
E’en though I hate it
’Tis no crime
Not least when I think
Of what soon will be mine.”
As long as his partner could he live,
As long as the Sun to him would give
The help that he needed,
As long as his partner simply heeded him.
The Sun, however, he’s no fool
And would be used as no mere tool
To elevate th’ alchemist high as he
When the man acted selfishly.
“Think he
That me
He can manipulate,
From me
Can he
Well anticipate
A grand surprise,
No compromise,
Him I’ll educate.”
Devising his plan, the Sun went on his way,
While his aspiring client could be heard to say
That before long there would come a day
When the Sun himself just may
Envy his lifespan, match’d or more,
Wonder at his astronomical store
Of coins same coloured as the Sun
Second in size to simply none,
Towering even over Babel
But this man’d somehow be able
To keep them all before his eyes,
Only the truth to realize.
At last they met
As the Sun prepared to set.
“Hail! Good sir,” did the man proclaim,
Believing the Sun ign’rant of his aim,
“I am come here of you t’ implore
Just a small thing, nothing more.”
Ignorance the Sun did feign,
Knowing ’twas for all men’s gain.
“Speak,” said he,
“Ask what you will
And I shall see.
Give a moment till
I decide
If it be right.”
“Oh! Giver of life,
Oh, marvellous one,
Oh, ender of strife,
Oh, glorious Sun,
Cast on this lead
Thy shimmering light
Then it will be said
And it will be right,
That thine is pow’r absolute
And you will receive deservéd salute.”
“My power to all men
Has been well known,
An aeon and ten
So needn’t be shown.
However, as thou here art come
I’ll do my best,
Strike learned dumb.”
This as he very well should
The alchemist full understood
To mean that the Sun on the lead would shine
And give it appearance grand divine.
All the village this could see
And would run out with jubilant glee
Hoped he.
The Sun then shone
On the lead
With all the force of a new dawn.
“Oh! You fool
Could you not see,
You were but a tool
To elevate me!
For they all will find
Beauty, bringing a daze,
And they’ll leave you behind
As they show’r me with praise.”
“Ah! My poor boy
If only you knew
I’m not such a toy,
And I see all that’s true.
Now observe with care,
As I unveil the truth,
As you lose all the hair
You’ve gained from infant youth.”
And with that, the Sun focused hard,
Aware that he was en retard
And the lead, he liquidated,
Leaving the greedy man well-sedated.
Before taking his leave, he stated:
“As you will see, the gold was within
But you were blinded by your sin.
Nought can become what it already is
So search within for this coveted bliss.
It is indeed immensely sad,
That you sought out what you already had.”
And the alchemist picked up the speck of gold remaining of the lead,
And sought solace in the Great Dome, now deepest red.