The Chest of Golden Lies

The Chest of Golden Lies

The box is open, the light spills out,

Coins gleam like promises in disguise,

Each one whispers tales of gain,

But none reveal the price inside.

He filled it once with all his needs,

The lust for worth, the chase for more,

But gold is heavy when the heart is poor,

And riches rot behind the door.

He tried to find himself in weight,

To build his name with metal dreams,

But every coin became a chain,

And shimmered with another’s screams.

Now he kneels before his shining sin,

The box that owns what he became,

The light reflects a hollow face,

And burns his eyes with quiet shame.

Still he counts the glittering ghosts,

As if enough could fill the void,

But all that glitters feeds the dark,

And leaves the soul destroyed.