THE RICHEST MAN THAT I KNOW
(Hali Hammer)

He lives in a Garden of Eden he’s created by his own hand
And the plants there that bloom, they spread their perfume
Where once was just desolate land
Everywhere that you look, there is beauty and an aura so tranquil and sweet
That you’re caught in the spell and you can’t even tell
That the ghetto’s a-rage on the street

He’s a craftsman in artworks of silver
And in wood, he makes intricate bead
He approaches his skills like a gardener who is lovingly sowing his seeds
Some people think money is treasure, material gains are their ends
But he knows that true wealth is the pleasure
of winning and keeping good friends

Some compromise their lives for pieces of gold or measure success by cash flow
But he has refused to be bought or be sold,
And he’s the Richest Man that I Know

His manner is one of refinement, though he seems not to give it much mind
And in all of the time that I’ve known him, I’ve never seen him less than kind
He can do several things to make money, but he chooses to keep them apart
From the flowing Flamenco guitar that he plays,
and the aesthetics that are his art

And he’s not averse to good living, but he’ll never trade in his soul
For some worthless set of false values is not in his mind as a goal

And sometimes he can get discouraged, and sometimes he’s hard on himself
But he’s easy on all those around him, and that’s his true secret of wealth

Some people think money will bring them to dignity, honor and fame
But he’s reached a personal freedom without ever exploiting his name
And years from now when I remember the ways he has helped me to grow
I know in the end I’ll still think of my friend
As the Richest Man that I Know