We depart seeking wonders large and great
Returning with disappointment because
We assumed too much and arrived too late

Our best laid plans fail as we complicate
Waving aphorisms as hammers and saws
We depart seeking wonders large and great

Monuments and men don’t escape fate
Gravity and entropy are the laws
We assume too much and arrive too late

Statues toppled, print faded, art erased
Nothing left of ancient faith or old cause
We depart seeking wonders large and great

We return to chipped paint, a squeaking gate
Much to regret, unforgettable flaws
We assumed too much and arrived too late

What to do if the past proves a failed state?
To turn our back or watch as it withdraws?
We depart seeking wonders large and great
We assumed too much and arrived too late