Beyond the Smoke and Mirrors
By Gary D. Ward
Gary D. Ward, All rights reserved

When I set out on my own, and I invited you along
We had a suitcase full of hope,
And believed we would not go wrong
And I was just a dreamer, I felt I had to get away
From the chains of small town thinking,
That held on to us those days

But the world will find your weakness, and play you like a fool
And I didn’t see it then, but I was just a tool
With the promise of my dreams, just beyond the hill
I ran as fast as I could go, for that almighty dollar bill

In the mad dash to succeed, so many dreams can get away
Commitments are forgotten, then you’ll find out you were played
You have to look out for your own,
Because long after you’ve been paid
Beyond the smoke and mirrors, you’ll find another set of chains

If I had known this day was coming,
I’d ‘ve quit the rat race long ago
But I was trying to make a life for us, somewhere down the road
I worked from early in the morning-till late night,
So many moments have been lost
And I can never make it right

It was part of my soul I was giving,
It was love that was the cost
When your work is long forgotten,
Then you’ll realize what you lost
You have to look out for your own,
Because long after you’ve been paid
Beyond the smoke and mirrors, you’ll find another set of chains