travel song

i walked the road that many have traveled
and i've seen my share of mountebanks
atop their soap boxes
i laughed at the sounds they made
but one day while walking
another path caught my eye
i guess not the path, but the cat on the path
whose brown eyes did sparkle, although she was shy
i don't know why

but the greenest of trees will shine at my funeral
and all my best friends will toast with red wine
but then only you will carry my coffin
and put orange leaves on my grave every night
and all my best friends won't cry at my funeral
because funerals should be a celebration of life
i don't know why

so i followed this cat
into a wooded glen
and here i saw beauty unknown to my eyes
such bright, fertile trees! the grass was so green
so different from the roads i had come to recognize
out here were no liars, no dust and no frauds
out here, only beauty bright enough to give pause
so i lay down my pack, i lay down my troubles
and i petted this cat and saw the face of god
i don't know why

but the greenest of trees will shine at my funeral
and all my best friends will toast with red wine
but then only you will carry my coffin
and put orange leaves on my grave every night
and all my best friends won't cry at my funeral
because funerals should be a celebration of life
i don't know why

i have looked for that path again, many a time
each day i go walking with eyes open wide
some days i see it, but most days i don't
but now i relish each sunset and sunrise
i don't know why

but the greenest of trees will shine at my funeral
and all my best friends will toast with red wine
but then only you will carry my coffin
and put orange leaves on my grave every night
and all my best friends won't cry at my funeral
because funerals should be a celebration of life
now i know why

-yours truly