The Zombie's Burden

𝘐𝘵 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘢 𝘤𝘢𝘴𝘶𝘢𝘭 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘢𝘮𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘧𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘴 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘣𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘥 𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘱𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘦𝘴. 𝘠𝘦𝘢𝘩, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵'𝘴 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘨𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘢 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘴𝘰𝘯𝘨. ❖ ─── ❖ ─── ❖ ─── ❖ ─── ❖ Long ago, I was 18 and lived with my tribe spotted a hut right in the square Traded millet and cloth for the hut worked out the rest with the elder The elder said: "𝘋𝘰𝘯'𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘳𝘺, 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘴𝘦𝘢𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘦𝘢𝘭 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘧𝘢𝘤𝘦, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦 𝘱𝘢𝘺𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘵 𝘰𝘧𝘧." Then he pressed a cloth against my face. Who knew that centuries later that cloth would end up in a museum with experts gathered round it wondering what became of its owner? I've been alive for five hundred years my little hut's now a concrete tower Elders come and go, but the debt's still there and I'm still paying off that house of mine. ❖ ─── ❖ ─── ❖ ─── ❖ ─── ❖ Back in 1599, I took a trip to London bought everyone a round at a tavern The cloth I made was selling like hotcakes back home, we just used it to clean plates Across the table sat a bald man and his friends scribbling away like a total genius I raised my glass and offered them a drink "Two beers, or not two beers?" I gave them a wink. Who knew that centuries later I'd be browsing in a bookstore and find my words twisted around in a little play called 𝙃𝙖𝙢𝙡𝙚𝙩? I've been alive for five hundred years reading 𝙃𝙖𝙢𝙡𝙚𝙩 in a bookstore once again If I could go back, what would I do? Those were my words... now that's the question. ─── ─── ❖ ─── ─── One day in 1889, a stranger came to town red-haired, skin and bones, looking worn down He was looking for a painter he admired then showed me a canvas he wanted to sell He offered it for a little travel cash I took one look: "𝘔𝘢𝘯, 𝘺𝘰𝘶'𝘷𝘦 𝘨𝘰𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦 𝘫𝘰𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨." All those shades of blue had my head spinning I waved him off: "𝘛𝘳𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘦𝘭𝘥𝘦𝘳, 𝘩𝘦'𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥." Who knew that centuries later after he had passed away I'd learn that stranger's name was Vincent Van Gogh? I've been alive for five hundred years now I stand before 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙎𝙩𝙖𝙧𝙧𝙮 𝙉𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩 If I'd lent him just a little travel cash my mortgage would be long gone by now. ❖ ─── ❖ ─── ❖ ─── ❖ ─── ❖ They say wisdom comes with age stupidity fades with time But here's what I've learned in five hundred years compound interest outlived the years! I've been alive for five hundred years when I say I knew Shakespeare and Van Gogh they just laugh: "𝘠𝘦𝘢𝘩 𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵, 𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘥𝘪𝘥." But mention mortgages, and all heads go down. I've been paying for five hundred years so, if you like this song please leave a tip... My mortgage is due tomorrow. ❖ ─── ❖ ─── ❖ ─── ❖ ─── ❖