This poem was submitted to Amerikaner.org by Franz D’epinay. If you would like to submit your own works, please email amerikanercontributions@proton.me
I dreamt of gold ducats, last night in my repose And priceless strings of Indian pearls Glistening in their rows Chest of precious stones that burned like frozen fire Brought up from icy Pluto's chest To kindle mans' desire On an Ebony and Ivory couch Inlaid with greatest care I drank my fill from Crassus' cup And tasted Midas' pears Mithridates tends my household My pleasure-dome by Kublah Khan Edmond Dantes brings me hachish As I lay on my divan And Solomon with his cedars Mansa Musa with his salt Would have shamed themselves for paupers Could they have but seen this vault But suddenly this vision began to shimmer before my gaze And the wealth of a thousand thousand years Disappeared A mirage, erased I bowed my head and bitterly The tears began to flow For the glory of that treasure-cave That I would never know For though I want for nothing, still do I desire That shining horde of riches That glows with dragon-fire I know the lust that comes from Gold Men's souls does it devour For gold, that soft and yielding metal Gives men their greatest power With a fortune might I remake the world And in my own image cast A graven thing, my will in flesh And blood, world as Golden Calf For I am not the Master, I am but a man But If I had such a fortune, I would stretch out my right hand And shield the Right from evil, and Shepard the unwise And punish all the wicked, whom all good men despise And who like as not are wealthy, and live in idle ease While the humble suffer daily From poverty's disease. Why does God allow it? That good men want for bread While evil men curse His name And reap rewards instead And so my thoughts turn bitterly And in sorrow do I dream Of Emperors and Rajas, Khans, Caliphs, and Kings Of the Tomb of Tutankhamen And the caves of 40 thieves And how I'd make use of that estate And set my heart at ease But a diamond makes not a meal Nor Gold bullion make a stew So I'll make do with what I've got And do my best for you.