Forrest Fenn’s treasure poem has six stanzas and nine clues.
The 5th stanza:
- So why is it that I must go
- And leave my trove for all to seek?
- The answers I already know,
- I’ve done it tired, and now I’m weak.
The fifth stanza contains two commas, one question mark and one period, making for two complete sentences.
The first three lines (and half of the last line) are in the present-tense. The first half of the last line is in the past-tense.
So why is it that I must go and leave my trove for...
Why does this stanza get two sentences, when most only get one? Does that mean that there are two important clues hidden within?
Very little to go on here.
So, of course, that means it’s probably pretty important in some way…
Hmmm…
Some time in the middle of 2010, wealthy author/collector/archaeologist Forrest Fenn hid a medieval chest filled with gold coins and other valuable artefacts somewhere in the Rocky Mountains for anyone to go and retrieve. He wrote a book called ‘The Thrill of the Chase’, in which he hid clues to help people find the treasure.
Inside the book is a poem which secretly encodes the whereabouts of this treasure chest. If you can solve the puzzle, you can go and collect hundreds of thousands of dollars (if not well over a million) right now!
But, hold your horses! It’s not that easy. Thousands upon thousands of people have tried - with absolutely no luck whatsoever!
Fortunately for you, we’re here to help guide you right to Fenn’s gold!
- Trove might reference an old mine.
- Look for a natural feature with a name related to exhaustion and/or weakness.
- Place-name referencing ‘to go’ somehow.
- Place-name referencing ‘seeking’ alternately.
- Place-name referencing a trove or treasure of some sort.
- Answering ‘why I must go’ gives you a clue or other important information.
- We look for the answers somewhere that Forrest already knows (???).
- The stanza helps you find the treasure chest once you’ve already reached the end of your search (roughly 12 feet from the Blaze).
- The answer to ‘why’ is important somehow.
- The ‘answers’ are important, and Forrest knowing them is the clue.
- The answers and tired are in the past - weak is in the present.
- ‘Leave my trove for all to seek’ is very on-the-nose. Perhaps it doesn’t mean what it appear to mean...
Possible Interpretations:
Your guess is as good as mine. This stanza seems nearly devoid of useful clues.
So, of course, that means that there is almost surely one extremely important clue hidden in there somewhere.
Somewhere...
Probably tired and weak.
Other Ideas...:
The 5th Stanza appears to contain virtually no usable clues. So, of course, that means that it’s probably immensely important.
When Forrest recites the poem, he often stumbles a bit on the Fifth stanza (and a lot on the Sixth Stanza). Whereas, it appears he knows the first four stanzas perfectly, by heart.
So, the clues in the 5th Stanza are likely only clues that help you find the treasure chest once you are already at the final location.
Who knows?...
The Verdict:
STANZA #5
The Forrest Fenn Treasure
IMPORTANT READING
| The Poem |
| Hints & Clues |
| Need Maps |
| Links & More |
| Where to Begin |