Richard Cory“Money can’t buy happiness” is an adage that echoes through time; however, it seems to echo so softly that it is quite often disregarded. For men, in their search for fulfillment, see money as a vehicle. The envy of the poor, the common, the needy lies with the rich, the powerful, and the seemingly content.
Richard Cory was the envy of all who encountered him. The people thought he had it all. They saw his money, felt his power, knew his intelligence, and never once did they doubt his happiness. They looked upon him as more than mere man, and they desired to be looked upon in that way, too. They assumed that living like Richard Cory would bring elusive happiness. Neither spoken word nor inference alluded to a friend. In fact, the poem indicates that everyone kept their distance. Richard Cory lead an unbearably lonely life. His money did not buy happiness nor did it bring him friends.
Simon and Garfunkle wrote and sang a song entitled “Richard Cory.” Both the song and the poem tell of Richard Cory’s ultimate suicide; however, the song ends slightly differently, declaring, in the final chorus, that even after his death, the people wanted to be like Richard Cory.
How jaded has our quest for happiness become? Where does the journey end and the destination begin? Do we remember what we are searching for? Perhaps where we thought we might find happiness was only a barren road. Perhaps where we thought a barren road lay, happiness was to be found a little way down the road.
Poetry
