Thoughts after sitting with a Flemish painter

Dim the lights slowly, & come on in
to the palace of artly delights.
Enter with a friend if you will,
but close the door and we'll bar it,
to keep out the wolves.

While all around is dark and cold,
we'll build a fire in the hearth,
I'll bring out the breads and cheeses,
the wines, the ales, the lagers,
the waters, vodka, gin, hot chocolate,
coffee, milk, tea, for him, her, you, & me.

Children over there with the children
in the well guarded play room,
and adults over here in the parlour,
animals well they will be where they'll be.
You can't tell the cats where to go.

The torches have been lit,
the fire is burning large and hot,
the logs coal black on yellow, white,
the embers orange, will warm the night.

We in our family are an old old people,
by that I mean we have been around
since before G-d -- no disrespect intended,
but we have been with civilization before
you even emerged from the primal muck,
or before Yahweh took the clay & made Adam.

Our colours are the richest, the deepest,
the most vivid against the most dark,
the brightest, the lightest, intense
in ways you have yet to realize.
Here in the high mountain valleys we stay,
and here in the castle towers we play.

I looked about the other day,
I looked about and all around me:
there lay below valleys fogg'd in mist,
there burnt the tops of clouds sun kissed,
while the winds blew soft and mild,
I thought of you, so far away,
I thought of you, my child.

Tear stained faded paper stays
gathering dust while time goes by,
yet I never forget, never forget,
what joys we shared together
in the thick summer heat,
in the soft grey green dark shade,
by the black waters,
my son and my daughters.

By the black waters,
me lads and me daughters,
I brought you to the shaded grove
I led you along the silver reflection
back to the fern brake beneath the magnolia.
And there we found the tortoise,
and there we heard the herons,
and there we tasted in the air
the scary alligators and the wild crocodiles.

The scary alligators laid in their lairs,
while we stayed upon the fallen logs,
and combed the twigs from our hairs.

The giant snapping turtle splashed to the creek,
where you sat upon my lap
where we stayed cheek to cheek.

The great blue grey heron
from the shadows by the river
came to life a sudden
and lass, it made me shiver
to see it gracefully lope and falter
by the next curve in shady river.

Back in the castle the dream came to me,
and back in my bed I woke there, you see:
the lights were gone, the sounds no more,
the guests in each bed they quietly did snore.

And I smiled to myself while I shut mine eyes again,
I never have yet lost you, my child, my friend.