the Party
The party without delay
time's memory we all may share
it's 1909 we conjure Rousseau
le peintre moderne notre ami Henri
onboard a leaky boat
the Bateau-Lavoir is sailing
down market Montmartre the plan
hatched in a cabaret le Lapin Agile
tip them off spare nobody
'cept of course poor Henri, he
the tribute our guest of honour
stalks tigers in city parks
Alice Gertrude Pablo et al
dream Paris herself would be there
Andre Georges Apollinaire Kiki big stares
Fernande calls for red carpet more bread
maitre 'd still the mystery assembles
our cast who intend whatever mayhem
to make this soiree the legend
dear Sonia later claims as hers
inevitably our galleon begins to sway
too tight to swing a cat she creaks
hundreds spilled and some lay down
like wine too, splashed in gutters
looking up at stars that fateful night
from the start proceedings fell apart
spontaneous music and a new dance
shouted all over hollering laughter
by Act two the game was nearly up
songs and speeches drag on too long
Guillaume loudly farting barely softened
Marie lurching as she face firsts dessert
no one really remembers Act three or 4
who danced with whom and what gems
parted lips or when they departed whose shoes point up from beneath the table
never the less one epilogue can be drawn
one hundred years slip-by and the din
is heard by some every now and then
time stands still to sing Viva Le Douanier
image: The Dinner 1909 / (detail) oil and synthetic polymer paint on linen on board JS
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