The elder Pieter Brueghel
with art tales to tell
Smell wa one of his temrs
with flowers red yelow& green
Wedding Kermesse
Common folk with few wants
(Toilers reaping earth’s bounty)
Enjoy life’s pleasantries
By escaping the harsh realities
Of day-to-day existence,
Expressed in a kermesse dance
To the tune of simple instruments.
With joy in their hearts
And freedom unfettered,
They fling each other
Around in circles,
Indulging in feasting,
Drinking, and singing
In the celebratory ritual
Of carefree merriment
(Partakers as witnesses)
Toasting the wedding couple.
With the ground as their stage
And exposed to the elements,
The day wears thin,
But not their jubilance.
***
Note:
“Wedding Kermesse” is an ekphrastic poem based on the painting "Peasant Wedding Dance" (1607) by Pieter Brueghel the Younger (1564–1638).
The “Kermesse” was any special village or town celebration originating in Europe during the late medieval period (1250–1500 AD) and was introduced to America by Dutch and Flemish immigrants.
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