Paris-Simply Irresistible: Good Night Sweet Prince

It all started as I descended

and quietly ambled down every street

and crossed every bridge

that has inspired countless artists and writers to 

capture the 

MAGIC.

Then it finally happened to me.

The ghosts on the walls that have shadowed millions of

travelers

whispered to ME

and wisked me up towards my imagination

to surface as a child again.

I was smitten

and since then

my FOLIES

have been kept still in the drawer of my mind

BUT are now doodled on paper

as my vision of a crooked little Parisian street

unfolds

into

An old street in Paris, Rue de Sainte 

Honoré

 

remains the most famous street still to 

this day

for boasting the most elegant boutiques 

in town

to find the loveliest hat

or silk gown.

 

And there a most famous couturier

has a quirky assistant, I have to say

for he is a scrappy and shaggy monsieur

with button eyes and an uncanny allure

with floppy ears and a certain knack

for knowing who's buying

his name is Balzac.

He hoots and he whistles and warns his  

patron

his master and keeper, Monsieur Bergeron

who comes and who goes and who browses 

and buys

for nothing escapes his scrupulous brown 

eyes!

So if you desire a Bergeron brand

you better be serious to pay on demand

and upon leaving this famous salon

please kindly say , "Merci Monsieur 

Bergeron!

And do not forget to say a "Merci"

to Monsieur Balzac or else you will see

his teeth sinking into your favorite 

shoes

"Give me attention, or this you shall 

lose!"

As was his routine at the end of the day

Monsieur Balzac wanted to wander and play

in and around all the Parisian parks

 

The Tuileries was one of his favorite 

landmarks.

He'd putt-putt his way in his little 

machine

all shiny and bright and incredibly 

clean.

 

Once he would get there he'd frolic and 

stray

on the grounds of the park he would 

spend all the day

exploring and looking for something 

brand new to tear or to sniff or devour 

and chew

until he met up with a certain artiste 

who happened to spot him with  

l'accordioniste




"Ce chien est charmant, vachement 

rigolo!"

he cried out in French and named him

Toto.

 

For Balzac smirked incessantly with his 

famous grimace

 

like the artiste's main character in his 

book called Audace!

They made their acquaintances one 

afternoon

and every night since by the bright 

Paris moon

they read the adventures of  

Toto the great

so much that Balzac was to meet an odd 

fate

for his link to Toto was incredibly 

strange

that he suddenly found himself totally 

changed

his fur had a feeling like no other "boy"

Can you guess what had happened? He 

turned into a

toy!

 

The artiste would read from his book to 

the crowd

while Balzac charmed the children, oh 

how he was proud

that everyone loved him and stroked his 

ruff fur

however he couldn't utter one GRRRRR!

There he stood helpless but loved 

nonetheless

but how he had wanted to get out of this 

mess!
 

Meanwhile back at the famous boutique

M. Bergeron and his fashionable clique

 

continued their fashion shows hugging 

and kissing

until Madame Choufleur said, "C'est

bizarre, something's missing!" 

Voilà!" She cried out! "I know what's 

not right!

it's that scamp named Balzac, he's been 

out of our sight!

Gone is the biting, the growling and 

stares

nobody liked him, nobody cares!"

But M. Bergeron wondered where he had 

been

while the crowd said, "Tant mieux! and 

good riddance to him!

“Now we can show off our beautiful works

 

without his ridiculous manies and 

quirks!"

However Balzac was enjoying success

the children had loved him in spite of 

this mess

for he was Toto, their hero, their 

friend,

who in every adventure was good to the 

end.

However one evening upon his large bed

Toto or Balzac got it into his head

to wish to become the dog he had been

to be totally transformed, without and 

within.

The children had hugged him so much he 

was stained

he needed a wash, so once he was trained

to go get his towel and a bar of savon

he got a hot bath from l'artiste de Lyon.

So in order to see what followed this 

scene

you must turn the page to see what I mean

for now he was back in his own curly fur

growling and yapping with each single GRRRR...

He loved being real again in his skin

but will he be loved without and within

by all the young children and Monsieur 

Bergeron

his master and keeper and famous patron?

Balzac’s transformation resulted in this

that when you are loved and sincerely 

missed

your heart becomes real and rien can 

compare

to the love that you give and the love 

that you share.

 

Good Night Sweet Prince

 and to Paris I say...

Now take a stroll throughout the week

(due to Blogger having technical difficulties)

and get a TOTALLY DIFFERENT view of this 

MAGNIFICENT CITY 

from these wonderful vantage points at:

Nancy from Fête et Fleur

Violet from Create Beauty

Lynn from Adorn

Rosie with Roses and Rutabagas

Deb at Sparkling Scrapbooks

Penny with Angelsdoor

Christie from Grammy's House: A Quaint Victorian Cottage

Gigi from Going Glam with Gigi 

Debi at Romancing the Home

Ruben from Rattus Scribus

Rayanne with A Lovely Thought

Anne from Bird Like

Kristin from Page of Inspiration

Koralee from Bluebird Notes

Deborah with With All My Heart

Stacy with Style Addict Mom

Mimi with Bonjour Romance

Suzanne from Privet and Holly

Sarah with Hyachinths for the Soul

Emily from The French Hutch

Jackie with Once Upon a Fairyland

Cindy Swanson from Notes From the Keys of Life

Amy from This Wondrous Space This Faerytale Space

Maggie from Normandy Life

Tiff with Mrs. Tiff

Linda from Delight

Julie with Being Ruby

Julie at A Vintage Chic

Karen Harvey Cox from Scrapbook of Inspiration

Fine from Etoiles et Toiles de Fine Bessot

Martina from M'S Art Impressions

Carolyn from Draffin Bears Little Bear Studio

Jenny with Pleasant Places

Bela with Chá de Baunilha

Jo with My Grandma's Soul

Victoria from Green and White Garden

Brenda from Champagne and Macaroons

Maria from Calm Energy

Saskia from Join My Joy

Ann from St. Nicolas and Christmas All Year Long

Francis from By Surprise

Fifi from Fifi Flowers

Mapi from Mapi

Fee from Chipper Nelly

Marie from  Classic Style in the City      

Christie with Three Pixie Lane

Frances from Beautiful Interiors and 18th Century Style

Elaine from Cafe Chatelaine

Jacqueline from Purple Chocolate Home

Charlotta Ward at Space for Inspiration

Marsha at Splendorosa

Denise from Denise's Delights in Her Coffeeberry Cottage 

Spencer at Bellamere Cottage 

Ria from It's Me 

Fay from A Melange et Moi 

Karen from Art by Karena 

Yvonne with La Petite Gallery

Megan from Once Upon a Canvas

Susan from A Work in Progress 

Lynn from The Vintage Nest 

Barbara from Moveable Feasts 

Dzintra with Queen of the Armchair

Sherry from Country Wings in Phoenix 

Heidi from Hi-d's Place

Libby at An Eye for Detail

Dawn at Quiddity 2

HAVE FUN!
And MERCI MILLE FOIS to all these participants; you will all be in the CHAPEAU for the drawing of a prize to be announced next week!

All drawings and poetry, "Good Night Sweet Prince" by Anita Rivera

from Castles Crowns and Cottages 2010 ©

Photo Credits: Carousel shot via Going Glam with Gigi and Tumblr

Paris shots: Little Brown Pen

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