Road of Riches
Zack Hemsey Lyrics

The motive was to work till a fortune of size grew
Their intention was to work tirelessly until they achieved immense wealth.

With which a life of leisure by reason would ensue
They hoped that once they had enough wealth, they could enjoy a life of leisure and comfort.

From which no turn of hardship would threaten to undo
They believed that their wealth would provide a safety net, protecting them from hardships and difficulties.

To sacrifice the short to invest in the long view
They were willing to make short-term sacrifices in order to achieve their long-term goals of accumulating wealth.

And so it went, the hours and weekends they pushed through
They committed to working long hours, including on weekends, in order to achieve their goal of accumulating wealth.

A family full of ghosts but the payoff would yield huge
Their personal lives may have been lonely, but they believed that achieving their goal of wealth would make it all worth it.

Till decades down the line this epiphany stung true
Years later, they realized the truth behind their pursuit and it was painful to accept.

They′d raised their worth along with a son that they never knew
While they were caught up in achieving their goal of wealth, they neglected their own child.

They riding toward the sheen of an image
They were pursuing a goal that may have only existed in their own minds, like a mirage.

But one boy among 'em, this meant more than he showed
One of the people in their group desired fame and adoration more than anyone else, but kept it hidden.

Cuz absentee parents always left him alone
The boy was neglected by his parents and left alone for long periods of time.

And so it was, celebrity life came to pass
The boy did eventually achieve his dream of becoming a celebrity.

But something was amiss, it still eluded his grasp
Even though he was famous, he still felt that something was missing.

He missed belonging like those days at the park that he′d had
He longed for the sense of community and belonging that he had felt in his youth.

They chase crescents in the sky
They were chasing something elusive and unattainable, like chasing the moon.

Racing toward a rainbow engaged in a fool′s errand
The pursuit of their goal of wealth was a pointless endeavor, like trying to capture a rainbow.

Dogged in pursuit there's no altering their perception
They were so single-minded in their pursuit that they were unable to see things from a different perspective or alter their goals.

Till they spin out at the bend and they wake up inside the trenches
They would continue to pursue their goals until they reached a dead end and reality hit them hard.

These moments pass 'em by, their own precession of the stars
They were oblivious to the passing of time and missed important moments in their lives due to their pursuit of wealth.

The riches that you seek are existent right where you are
The wealth that they were pursuing may have been within their grasp all along, in the form of relationships and personal fulfillment.