THROWBACK THURSDAY: MASTERPIECE #259 (12/31/10)

/// At The Meeting, two men stopped to say,
to Gustave, “Bonjour, Monsieur Courbet.”
They had watched him approach,
round the bend, their stopped coach.
Now they tried to make Gus turn away.

/// Wealthy Bruyas, with servant and hound,
blocked the way, asking, “Where are you bound?”
Gus replied, “What I seek
is a view that’s unique.”
Bruyas answered, “In that case, turn ‘round.”

/// Courbet’s paintings are what Bruyas buys.
In the backpack are painter’s supplies,
so Gus backtracked to draw
scenes his rich patron saw,
(and avoided a tragic surprise).

/// In that coach, which was parked up ahead,
was a girl Bruyas said he would wed.
She’d been cruelly misled;
since last night, hopes had fled.
(Courbet’s sister had shared Bruyas’ bed.)

/// Courbet’s grooming shows he never feared
accusations that artists are weird.
He seems poor, but aloof.
Workman’s clothes are the proof,
and the goose-grease that stiffens his beard.

/// The manservant, (Calas is his name),
has a down tilted head— is it shame?
Calas had introduced
the girl Bruyas seduced,
and he feared now that he’d get the blame.

/// As the men stop to talk face-to-face,
they’re ignored by the dog, fixed in place.
It’s alert and aware,
with a straight-ahead stare
looking for a red squirrel to chase.

/// Bruyas frantically stalls for more time,
hoping Courbet won’t learn of his crime.
For the sister’s “with child”
and though she’s going wild,
Bruyas won’t settle down in his prime.

/// His plan’s very risky, but bold.
First he’ll bribe the young woman with gold.
Then he’ll marry her off
to some dumb clueless toff,
whose compliance has been bought and sold.