| I TRIED to win the nomination | |
| For president of the County-board | |
| And I made speeches all over the County | |
| Denouncing Solomon Purple, my rival, | |
| As an enemy of the people, | 5 |
| In league with the master-foes of man. | |
| Young idealists, broken warriors, | |
| Hobbling on one crutch of hope, | |
| Souls that stake their all on the truth, | |
| Losers of worlds at heaven’s bidding, | 10 |
| Flocked about me and followed my voice | |
| As the savior of the County. | |
| But Solomon won the nomination; | |
| And then I faced about, | |
| And rallied my followers to his standard, | 15 |
| And made him victor, made him King | |
| Of the Golden Mountain with the door | |
| Which closed on my heels just as I entered, | |
| Flattered by Solomon’s invitation, | |
| To be the County-board’s secretary. | 20 |
| And out in the cold stood all my followers: | |
| Young idealists, broken warriors | |
| Hobbling on one crutch of hope— | |
| Souls that staked their all on the truth, | |
| Losers of worlds at heaven’s bidding, | 25 |
| Watching the Devil kick the Millennium | |
| Over the Golden Mountain. | |
