THE STORY OF ALBERT DURER
by HELEN STEINER RICE
AS YOU READ THIS POEM
PERHAPS YOU'D LIKE TO KNOW
THAT THIS STORY REALLY HAPPENED
MANY CENTURIES AGO
WHEN TWO TALENTED YOUNG ARTISTS
WERE STRUGGLING HARD TO EARN
JUST ENOUGH TO LIVE ON
SO BOTH OF THEM MIGHT LEARN
HOW TO BE GREAT ARTISTS
AND LEAVE BEHIND A NAME
THAT MANY CENTURIES LATER
WOULD STILL RETAIN ITS FAME,
BUT IN THIER DIRE NECESSITY
FOR THE WARMTH OF FOOD AND FIRE,
ONE OF THE ARTISTS SACRIFICED
HIS DREAM AND HEART'S DESIRE
SO HE MIGHT EARN A LIVING
AND PROVIDE ENOUGH TO EAT
'TILL BOTH OF THEM WERE BACK AGAIN
SECURELY ON THIER FEET...
BUT MONTHS AND YEARS OF GRUELING TOIL
DESTROYED THE CRAFTSMAN'S TOUCH,
AND SCARRED AND STIFFENED WERE THE HANDS
THAT HELD PROMISE OF SO MUCH,
HE COULD NO LONGER HOLD A BRUSH
THE WAY HE USED TO DO,
AND THE DREAM HE ONCE HAD CHERISHED,
NO LONGER COULD COME TRUE...
SO UNCOMPLAININGLY HE LIVED
WITH HIS FRIEND WHO HAD SUCCEEDED
WHO NOW COULD PURCHASE ALL THE THINGS
THEY ONCE HAD SO MUCH NEEDED...
BUT THE FAMOUS ALBERT DURER,
THE FRIEND WE ARE SPEAKING OF,
WAS ALWAYS CONSCIOUS THAT HE OWED
A DEBT OF THANKS AND LOVE
TO ONE WHO SACRIFICED HIS SKILL
SO THAT DURER MIGHT SUCCEED,
BUT HOW CAN ANYONE REPAY
A SACRIFICIAL DEED,
BUT WHEN HE SAW THESE HANDS IN PRAYER
HE DECIDED HE WOULD PAINT
A PICTURE FOR THE WORLD TO SEE
OF THIS"UNHERALDED SAINT"...
SO DOWN THROUGH COUNTLESS AGES
AND IN MANY, MANY LANDS
ALL MEN COULD SEE THE BEAUTY
IN THESE TOILWORN PRAYING HANDS...
AND SEEING, THEY WOULD RECOGNIZE
THAT BEHIND FAME AND SUCCESS
SOMEBODY SACRIFICED A DREAM
FOR ANOTHER'S HAPPINESS.
have a blessed week end all !!!
Pauline R