Paul Shapera
Byzantine Blue
[Raven]
Welcome, my beautiful little shade of byzantine blue. Perfect, perfect, I've been waiting for you
I've always wanted to have a neighbour just like you
My bucket of blue

The bells are ringing
For me and my blue

Do you Raven take this fallen angel to be you lovely little cobalt queen to have and to hold in sickness and in health, 'til death do you part?
Oh I do, I do take this blue!

I see we've lost the plot, have we? Allow mе to illuminate

Oh tell us a story uncle Ravеn, a story, yes a story uncle Raven, please uncle Raven, a story, a story!
Aah, well. I shall tell you a poignant parable of pain and perseverance. You may read along with me in your book! You will know when it's time to turn the page when you hear the magic bells ring like this. *chime*

Once upon a time there was a brilliant, immensely talented artist. Immensely talented, and charming, and excruciatingly handsome. Oh you are so handsome, no you're the handsome one, oh I love you so much- *chime*

A painter needs a palette of colour he can use
And I've got crimsons, emeralds, almost every hue
But the one colour I don't have for my work of living truth
The one I need most is byzantine blue!

Who am I?
I am an artist and I wish to create
Just like that bastard up above who I believe we need not name
They say that I'm selfish, cynical, ungenerous-
I will gladly give credit where credit's due
Creating your own world?
Brilliant! Stunning really! Bravo you omnipotent fascist

I want a whole world in my hand too
I want to create a world of my own
But how?
I said but how?
*chime*
There we go

Inspector Raven, how to solve this quandary? The issue of raw materials for my creation complicates things quite a bit, as this whole something from nothing thing is not an easy trick. How to solve this mystery?
Can we use the candlestick?
No!
Can we use the [?] in the library?
No!
Can we use Mrs White and Mr Mustard?
Hang on there. I think we're on to something
I need living colours, with a life all of their own
I'll use the souls of people
Their souls all shine and gleam and glow!

So I built me a world, a wondrous trap, so hard to resist, indulgent fun that always lasts. And most brilliantly it's built from the very people it attracts. They come, they have fun, and rarely find their way back. They frolic all around me, my dear sweet precious paints: oranges, crimsons, emeralds - all are mine to take

But the problem [?] damned byzantine blue. Only saints and angels have it and they rarely pass this way through
*chime*
I used to have that demon
He used to be all mine
Same story as you girl
He used to walk the same thin line
He had blue a-plenty
We had such a grand fine time
Until that fool escaped me
Took the blue that's rightly mine

But now another angel has fallen into my lap. My work can now progress, my blue returns at last. Such a grand fine time we'll have my dear sweet little blue, vices and indulgences are yours the whole [?] through. Most people [?] in years, we must put them into stew, but you can last for centuries, and tell you what I'll do. Just for you my cobalt queen, watch, [?] little peek, at my work of towering genius - shhh! No need to thank me, don't speak
*chime*

I humbly present
My amazing work of staggering incredibleness
By me
*chime*