I watched a video on Youtube,
so I became a student of the old ways
and I realized I would like to spend my days in this way
my life may be in tatters
it all might be a hand basket to hell
but it would not matter
if I could paint like...Raphael
I went to the basement of my mind
and set up a canvas, once then twice
and painted from portraits in a book
stealing ideas like a crook
they call it copying
and so I did, to paint like...Raphael
The results at first made me laugh
did I think it would be as easy as that?!
The portraits to me looked so strange
but had a charm I could not name
and some trace
of a fool who tried to paint like...Raphael
So I kept at it with experiments
layers and mediums and turpentine
I am sure the fumes
affected my mind
I watched more videos to crack the code
all day in my abode
and I see now a glimmer of hope
although it's faint
my previous paintings
I thought were great, but ah,
--I've not yet begun to paint
I know it's a long journey
full of caverns and pirates
but I'm sure to grow
that is all that I can tell
as I try to paint....like Raphael.
