Golden Dreams
By Paul Wilson

Blankets of smoke and haze
Cover the countryside
As the sun sets the sky ablaze
Men on horseback quicken their stride

Off in the distance we see
To the west toward blue skies
A thousand more maybe three
We watch the dust clouds as they rise

Across rivers and streams
For days they did ride
In search of their dreams
Across the great divide

Men and women young and old
Driven by greed and desire
In search of riches untold
Over the mountains getting higher

Through snow and rain
Hunger and cold
They travel across the desert plain
Searching for this yellow gold

This journey has ended for many
Riches they will never achieve
No gold in their pockets, not even a penny
Now their wives and children grieve

More will come this way
They will outnumber the stars
No time for delay
On this land they will leave their scars

The rush is over all is gone
The battles have been fought
They will leave with the dawn
With their gold freedom will be bought
Or was it all for naught?