Road to Valhalla

The first thing I saw that I hadn't before
Was a pathway up into the hill
A thin string of white running into the light
Oh, I can remember it still
And there were a few, at least one or two
Already out there on the track
Woman or man, nobody ran
Nobody ever looked back

I tagged on behind; we were all of a kind
At least, well, we were at the start
But day followed day, more joined the fray
With so many more taking part
The path became wider. Any outsider
Was viewed with a clear distaste
Maybe it was, or even because
Of, a fear of being displaced?

Somehow the climb and the passage of time
Widened the treacherous road
Memories burned, as slowly we learned
That people like talking in code
We found how our music could sooth or inflame
From songs we sang round the fire
We didn't know Bach, we didn't know Blues
We didn't know who ran the choir

However esteemed, the steeper it seemed
The boulevard into the sky
And I had to smile at the rank and the file
And the solitary wandering guy
The first of the pack to take to the track
Who'd shown us the meaning of valour
Who, seizing the day in so subtle a way
Opened the road to Valhalla