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Golden Stick

by John Vanek

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about

Tolstoy's legend of the Green Stick

When the great writer Leo Tolstoy's brother Nikolai was 12, he told his family that he possessed a wonderful secret that could make all men happy, a secret which would mean that no one would ever die, that there would be no war or suffering. Nikolai added that he had written the secret on a little green stick and buried it at the edge of the ravine in the Tolstoy estate at Yasnaya Polyana.

As a boy Tolstoy truly believed in the power of the green stick, and tried many times to find it. The allure of the little green stick and its ability to make all people everywhere happy stayed with Leo Tolstoy throughout his life and he requested to be buried near the site of the green stick as located in his brother Nikolai's story.

I found this story so compelling that I have written my own take on it in the form of a song 'Golden Stick'.

lyrics

There's a golden stick they buried in the ground
Somebody put it there a long time ago
Have you found it?
What you're looking for?
Have you found it?
What you're looking for?

Maybe you walked over it
Just the other day
Maybe you don't care
About no golden stick anyway
Have you found it?
What you're looking for?

Have you found whatever it is
That you're looking for?
Have you found the key
That'll open up the door?
Have you found it?
What you're looking for?

Have you found your perfect question?
Have you found your 'why'?
It's not easy to find something
When it's buried inside of you
Buried inside of you...

There's a golden stick
Buried in the ground
And the last days of summer
Are coming on down
Have you found it?
What you're looking for?
Have you found it?
What you're looking for?

credits

released December 2, 2021
John Vanek, Spanish guitar, slide guitar, vocals
Produced by Olli Daffarn at Blue Dot studio

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all rights reserved

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John Vanek London, UK

John Vanek is a singer-songwriter, slide guitarist and keyboard player. He is also a London underground busker.

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