Beauty

Beauty crowds me till I die
Beauty mercy have on me
But if I expire today
Let it be in sight of thee-

(Emily Dickinson)

Aan de Amsterdamse grachten

Acrylic on canvas

Along Amsterdam’s canals there are gingerbread houses some crooked and iced white. The smell of amaryllis, little whiffs in the air. A bicycle hand painted red and yellow with plastic lilies and roses trailing from its basket. Orange cap and an orange balloon against a blue sky. An infant riding back saddle with his hair blowing in the wind. The peozenboot, carrying stray cats to a happily ever after. Grey clouds and pink clouds and brilliant blue skies. Van Gogh and tulips and sunflowers and their vision of perfection. Where the coots and the ducks come home to roost. Cows and hens and windmills tin glazed and painted blue and white. The music of church bells. And a million lights dancing upon the water in step with its tune.

Along Amsterdam’s canal there is beauty that brings a smile to the eyes and a song to the heart.

As Wim Sonneveld sang,
Aan de Amsterdamse grachten, heb ik heel mijn hart voor altijd verpand...
I have pledged my heart forever to the canals of Amsterdam…

(For Barbara and the thousands of Amsterdammers who sang along on a beautiful night at the end of the Princengracht concert accompanied by dancing fairy lights .)