Salem Hill - The Joy Gem lyrics

Coveted by great hordes of men Seeking the famous gem-power to bring them joy Hidden from dangers in the ground Buried as soon as found-safe under dirt and coin Betrayed by promises of old The gem just left him cold So in the hole it stayed Hidden there's no joy Hidden no lives touched Hidden no change in hearts of men Hunted by armies of the land Confident in their hands the promises would come true Finally under veil of night Stolen by blood and might the quest for the gem was through Betrayed by promises of old The stone still left them cold So in a new hole was laid Stolen there's no joy Stolen no lives touched Stolen no change in hearts of men Through years of theft and battle changing hands Gotten at great cost And carried as a prize to foreign lands Scarred deeply and chipped Waiting for the stone to show its pow'r Held high as a trophy The victors spent their lives confused and sour But never a gift This treasure just desired for its name Hoarded and buried Yet nothing realized to earn such fame Forgotten and cold A thing of beauty begging to be found Its light like a drapery For fear conscribed to languish underground Adorning a hole Now in my father's empty home Me and my child alone happen upon the stone I had heard stories through the years And with no little fear I give it to my boy At last the promises of old were just as they'd been told And now the whole was known Power to bring joy Power to touch lives Power to change the heart of man