He sat by the fire with a notebook and pen,
Said, “I’ve seen the world break and build again.”
I was just passing through, chasing some plan —
But I stayed for the words of that old wise man.
He said, “Don’t trade your joy for a job that pays more,
Don’t lock up your heart just to open a door.
The world will tell you to hustle and win,
But the best kind of wealth comes from deep within.”
I wrote it down, but it burned in my chest —
Truth like that don’t need to rest.
The wise man said, “Keep your colors bright,
Don’t dim your soul just to fit the light.
Sing your song, even if no one stays —
The echo might guide someone else someday.”
The wise man said…
And I’m still listening.
He said, “Love is a garden, not a race to the ring,
It grows in the quiet, not in what spotlight’s bring
Don’t chase the ones who only want fame
Find someone who sees your roots and don't play games
I didn’t ask, but he knew what I’d lost —
Some wisdom comes without a cost.
The wise man said, “Keep your colors bright,
Don’t dim your soul just to fit the light.
Sing your song, even if no one stays —
The echo might guide someone else someday.”
The wise man said…
And I’m still listening.
He said, “Connection’s the thread that we weave,
It’s the hand on your back when you’re ready to leave.
Don’t let tears replace the sound of a laugh,
Real love remembers— like a dear photograph.”
He said, “You’ll forget my name, and that’s okay —
But remember the feeling, and pass it on someday.
To a kid on a bus, or a friend in the rain,
Say something true —to soften their pain.”
The wise man said, “Keep your colors bright,
Don’t dim your soul just to fit the light.
Sing your song, even if no one stays —
The echo might guide someone else someday.”
The wise man said…
And I’m still listening.
He packed up his notebook and tipped his hat.
Said, “You’ll be fine — just... remember that.”
And I walked away with more than a plan…
I walked away
a wiser man......
walked away....
a.. wiser.. man....

All rights reserved by songwriter and producer Edwin H. Balder.
For more ride-and-rock tracks, click here: https://soundcloud.com/edwin-balder/sets/rusty-marshall-band?si=c5040230a7334213b5d7609527997d7c&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing

Wiser Man by Rusty Marshall Band

Songwriter

I'll write your biggest hits, the author of the lyrics.

In the shadows of Apache Junction, at the foot of the majestic Superstition Mountains, sits a weathered hacienda. This desert oasis is home to an enigmatic figure, a songwriter whose journey reads like a long, dusty road of honky-tonk bars and college cafeterias. He wasn't chasing fame or glitter; instead, he chose the soul-crushing beauty of music for music's sake.

Years spent hunched over sticky barroom tables and scribbling lyrics on napkins earned him a reputation—not in the spotlight but in the back rooms where deals are made. He wrote melodies that found their way into the hearts of stars who had lost their own muse. He sold his creations for cash, with no recognition, but the whisper of his songs carried the weight of his soul.

Finally, he bought this piece of desert paradise—a stable income from his timeless songs allowed him to live comfortably, if anonymously. Here in this hacienda, with his family beside him and the mountains as his backdrop, he found the peace to write hits under his own name. He chuckled at the irony that now, without chasing fame, he could create music that brought him joy.

In the end, it was never about the spotlight. It was about the journey, the stories, and the songs that wrote themselves through his life. As the sun set behind the Superstitions, casting long shadows over the hacienda, he strummed his guitar and sang—content, unknown, and unburdened by the world's gaze.


Copyright 2019 Edwin H. Balder

I may be dead when fame comes but my real glory was always JULIE & The Kids. Thank you for such love

Wiser Man by Rusty Marshall Band

Edwin Balder