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The Gallery

from 20th Century Refugee by Gareth M Balch

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lyrics

THE GALLERY

THE GALLERY WAS OPENED THEY WERE COMING THICK AND FAST
THE BEAUTIFUL AND THE UGLY FROM THE PRESENT AND THE PAST
SOME OF THEM ARRIVED ALONE OTHERS CAME IN PACKS
VINCENT LOOKIN SIDEWAYS
CHAMPAGNE BOTTLES CRACKED
AND THE SHOW WAS ON

FEET BY FOOT AND ELBOW THEY KEPT ON POURING IN
THE CAVITY WAS ENDLESS STRETCHIN EVERY SKIN
REPORTERS THEY APPLAUDED THEY WERE MIGHTILY ENTERTAINED
BY THE THUNDER AND THE LIGHTENING
THEY THOUGHT HAD BEEN ARRANGED
AND THE AIR WAS HOT

BOSCH CALLED FOR A PORTER SAID RE-ARRANGE THESE WALLS
YOU GOTTA MOVE THAT ALTER SEEMS GOYA TOOK THE CALL
NO-ONE KNOWS WHAT HAPPENED MAYBE ONE OF THOSE MISTAKES
SHOWIN FRANCIS OF ASSISI
CHOKIN ON A SNAKE
BUT NOBODY CRIED

IN RABID EXPECTATION THEY EAGERLY CONFESSED
ALL MANNER OF CONNECTION THEY PRACTISED TO EXCESS
A SHOW OF BACCHANALIA TO EVERYONES DELIGHT
SOME LIT UP A CANDLE
SOME COULDN’T TAKE THE LIGHT
BUT IT ALL BURNED ON

PANDEMONIUM ERUPTED THE BUTTON WAS DEPRESSED
THE PHOTOCELLS WERE POPPIN PILLS JOINED UP THE REST
A DOG PISSED ON PISSARO CONFUSION JUST GOT WORSE
THE CABARET EXPLODED
FROM A PRESIDENTIAL HEARSE
WITH SEATS FOR ALL

RASPUTIN LOOKED AT STALIN AND KNELT DOWN BY HIS FEET
WHO WAS BUSY SHARING AUTOGRAPHS WITH THE PEASANTS FROM THE STREETS
AND POPE PAUL THE SECOND ONLY ONCE WAS HE APPROACHED
BY A MINER FROM JERUSALEM
EAGER FOR HIS VOTE
AND A PROMISED LAND

THIRTY NIGHTS AND FORTY LIVES THE SHOW KEPT CRASHIN ON
SOME WERE BASHIN BIBLES OTHERS QUOTING GONGS
ALL THIS FOR A CHARITY TO RELIEVE SOMEBODYS ITCH
THE HOLE WAS GETTIN DEEPER
AND SLIDIN DOWN A DITCH
WITH NO WAY BACK

DEPRAVITY AND DIGNITY WERE RAPIDLY EXPOSED
TO THE JURY OF THE MARTYRS WHO FEARFULLY OPPOSED
COLLECTION OF THE ARMOURY FOUND BURIED IN THE NAVE
RELYING ON THE PRINTED WORD
SOMEBODY MIGHT BE SAVED
BUT THE PAGE WAS BLANK

THE AIR WAS GETTING THICKER THE CHIFFON WEARING THIN
TIL EVERYONE WAS NAKED AND POINTING AT HER AND HIM
BUT IN THE HALL OF MIRRORS WAS IT A CASE OF SUICIDE
OR A SIMPLE LACK OF HUMOUR
THAT TOOK THEM FOR THE RIDE
BUT THEY STILL GOT ON

THE HEAT WAS RISING NICELY A PLEASURE TO EMBRACE
THE CALIBRE OF THE OCCUPANTS AND THE PLASTIC ON THEIR FACE
GONNA CHANGE MY NAME TO JESUS SAID GOEBELS AS A JOKE
NO ONE CAUGHT HIS COMMENT
AS HE SLIPPED INTO THE SMOKE
OF LANGUAGE LOST

PAGANINI HAD AN IDEA HEY LETS AUCTION OFF THIS PLACE
BUT NO-ONE REALLY CARED AS IT CORRODED IN DISGRACE
THE APATHY WAS HUMMING OF A TURPENTINE SMELL
ONE SOLITARY BID
AND I’LL TAKE YOU LOT AS WELL
AND THEN HE GRINNED

WITH A SWEEPING BOW HE MURMURED I APPRECIATE YOUR CALL
I HOPE I HAVE PROVIDED SATISFACTION FOR YOU ALL
THEN THE GALLERY JUST VANISHED HE WAS LEFT ALONE AT LAST
I WONDER WHO THEY WERE HE SAID
THE WIND PICKED UP THE PAST
AND THE AIR WAS STILL.

© G M Balch 2001

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from 20th Century Refugee, released May 31, 2019

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Gareth M Balch London, UK

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