WHEN BANKSY BEGAN PAINTING GRAFITTI ON CITY WALLS
WITH HIS DISTINCTIVE MORAL MESSAGING ART
TO STAND BY HIS PRINCIPLE OF CATERING FOR ALL
INTERESTED IN ART YET TOO UNWEALTHY TO BUY
THEIR INTEREST PEAKED TO STOP AND PERUSE
THEIR EYES DART ACROSS THEY STOP AND PUZZLE AND STARE
THEN HESITANTLY SLOWLY BY THEY CRUISE HAVING BEEN AFFECTED
LEFT INDELIBLY MARKED BY ART'S OUTSTRETED COLOURFUL ARCS
ARTIST IDENTITY TOP SECRET INCOGNITO ANONYMOUS
HIS IMAGES NOT MEANT TO BE POLISHED AND SWANKY
JUST BLANKLY SYNONOMOUS PAINTED AUTONOMOUS
THE SMOKE AND MIRRORS HE HID BEHIND COVERS FLANKED
SOON BROUGHT HIM NOTERIETY THE ILK OF WHICH
ART PREVIOUSLY WAS NEVER INCLINED
STILL THE SECRECY YET INCREASED THE VALUE
OF SPRAY PAINTED EVOCATIVE PROVOCATIVE SHROUDS
OF STILL ORDINARY CHARACTURES OF CITIES AND TOWNS
CAREFULLY CHARTED IN CHOSEN AREAS THAT NEEDED FUNDING
FOR COMMUNITY PROJECTS HE FELT MUCH DESERVED
ON RANDOM SPACES AND DOORS WHERE THEY WOULD FIND
A BUYER FOR THEIR NEWFOUND GOLDEN GOOSE APPLAUDED
SOLD TO THE HIGHEST BIDDER THEN ON THE LOCALS THE MONEY SPLURGED
PROJECTS STARTED FINISHED THE ARTIST PATRONAGE DEFINED AND AWED
IN ORDER THAT THE GRIM LIFE OF THOSE UNDER CLASSES
ART SURGED THEM FORWARD NEVER AGAIN TO BE BLOTTED OUT.. FORGOTTEN
GRADUALLY AS STREET ART ACKNOWLEDGED
THE ARTIST'S IMAGE'S POPULARITY GREW AND GREW
SO SHROUDED AND INCREASED THE VALUE NO-ONE COULD FLOUT
WITH THE CRASH OF THE AUCTIONEER'S GAVEL BUYER'S GAIN CLOUT
BANKSY SOLD HIS GIRL WITH A BALLOON IMAGE
AT CHRISTIES THEN TO THE UTTER SURPRISE WHEN SOLD
IT WAS IMMEDIATELY SHREDDED TO THE SHOCK AND HORROR
OF THE NEW OWNERS AND ALL PRESENT AT THIS AUCTION BOLD
CHOKING GASPS OF INCREDULITY THAT BANKSY WOULD LEAVE THEM COLD
MADE A MOCKERY OF THE AMOUNT ART COSTS TO BE ACQUIRED
OR EVEN LEFT TO AGE IN MUSEUM'S REVERED ARCHIVES
AN AUDIENCE DENIED TO SEE IT TOO PRICELESS AGAIN TO BE ADMIRED
IT WAS BANKSY SEEMING DISDAIN OF THE OBSCENE MONEY SPENT
A WILEY CAUTION WHERE ORDINARY PEOPLE RARELY ARE SEEN
FOR THE WEALTHY'S INHERITED PROVERBIAL STEAL'S EXTENT
WHO WOULD HAVE IMAGINED STREET ART WOULD
BE THE WORLD'S ART COLLECTOR'S ACQUISITIVE DREAM'S DISSENT
SO THE MORAL IS STOP THIS HIPOCRACY
THAT FAMOUS ART IS ACCESSIBLE TO BUY
ONLY FOR THOSE WHO HAVE SO MUCH
THEY DON'T KNOW HOW TO KEEP IT A LIE
YET INTO THE BACKGROUND THEY PRETEND
THEY HAVE NOTHING SO TRY TO
SURRUPTITIOUSLY BLEND NOT OPENLY SPEND
SO GIVE BACK TO OTHERS IN LIFE HELP THEM IN THEIR STRIFE
YOU WILL FEEL BETTER AND THIS AVARICE THAT HOLDS
WILL NO LONGER STRANGLE YOUR CONSCIENCE'S BLIGHT
STEM THIS FLOW OF THE MADNESS OF SUPPLY AND DEMAND'S FOLD
AND HOW IT FORCES ART TO BE EXCLUSIVE RATHER INCLUSIVE
I AWAIT UNTIL BANKSY'S NEXT INGENIUS ART ENDEAVOUR WAITS TO BE SOLD
HE WILL HAVE THE WORLD ONCE AGAIN AT HIS ARTISTIC BEQUEST INCLUSIVE
Copyright Natasha Anne Kelleher May 2021 All Rights Reserved
Painting by BANKSY No Copyright infringement intended
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