THE wires gleamed far and silver,
Lines on a morning sky;
I heard the white wires singing
Their song as I went by;
Far and far away they led, and I was bound and young,
And sharp the wind blew overhead, and gave the wires a tongue–
Young folk must wander far,
Young feet must roam
'Tis a long way to everywhere,
But oh, a short way home!

The wires gleamed far and golden–
I followed in their track,
Far and far the gold wires led,
And never road led back;
Far and far the gold wires went, and oh, I followed fast,
Roads to work ere youth was spent, and joy while youth should last:
Rough roads to fame and gold
Gay roads to roam,
Roads to hate and roads to love,
But never roads toward home!

The wires show far and darkened,
Lines on a sunset sky,
And still the black wires sing me
Their song as I plod by–
Far and far the black wires wind, and I am old and tired,
And naught is left to seek or find of all that I desired:
Old folk are wise too late,
Old feet cannot roam,
'Tis a short way to everywhere,
But oh, a lost way home!