We sailed up a river as it cut through swamps and reeds
None of us had ever dared pass where that mighty ocean feeds
Itself from mud and narrow channels twisting through red sand
Until we had to row our ship, the wind broken by land
We tied off our ship to big trees that in the water grow
And marched up a trail to the cool breeze of a high plateau
We came to a broad avenue and on either side
Temples to every god we knew were built there to abide
People from all over that land came to visit there
To give what gold the gods demand and offer up a prayer
Some of those temples were ancient forgotten tumbled stone
But the people there revered their gods and left those ruins alone
And as they built their temples for each new god that they found
They made each one more exotic and higher above ground
And though so many people gathered there in a throng
The avenue seemed nearly empty it was so wide and long
All the buildings there on both sides of the avenue
And all of the cobblestones were painted a sacred blue
We walked among the people as they offered their devotions
We saw many strange rituals, smelled strange incense and potions
Captured prisoners were slaughtered to the god of war
We approached that temple but they barred us at the door
The goddess of love was one we could easily believe
We watched their dancing girls and they were loathe to let us leave
Some gods demanded sacrifice of a worshiper's finest thing
Others asked for nothing but a simple song to sing
There were monks who contemplated truth in lifelong silence
Others served as warriors and lived and died in violence
Some people came to say a prayer once or twice a year
Some sacrificed their children and lived in terrible fear
Some prayed to only one god and called the others infidel
Some cursed a god they hated and condemned themselves to hell
Each temple held its mystery and everyone there saw
How everyone regarded them in reverence and awe
The emperor's high minister stood on the highest stair
And spoke to all the people as they stopped and gathered there
He told them they must come and put their ancient gods to rest
That their new lord spoke with his tongue and that made him the best
Though we could not carry every stone of this impressive sight
That we had come to take away each priest and acolyte
We rounded up those holy ones by persuasion or by spear
Those who fought we killed until the others came in fear
We took them all aboard our ship and chained them in the hold
To ride out the long voyage in the damp and cold
The priestess of the great blue star stabbed me with her eyes
As she passed by as if I was someone she'd recognize
Her eyes were golden as the sun and they haunt me to this day
And if she blessed or cursed me with that look I cannot say
We untied our lines and rowed down river to the sea
And loosed our sails in deeper water where the air was free
And that was the first wonder of the world that we would claim
Possession of the empire in the emperor's own name
We left those great blue temples on the plateau standing alone
And took their holy people to serve their new lord at his throne
