SAINT DENIS

[MARC SELSBY]

IN 250 AD SAINT DENIS DECIDED TO GO TO FRANCE

FOR LOVE AND JUSTICE HE TOOK A STANCE

BUT ROMAN  SOLDIERS SAID THIS YOU SHOULDN'T DO

MONTMATRE'S REAL ESTATE  IS TOO EXPENSIVE FOR YOU.

THIS IS NO PLACE FOR LOVE, GOOD SIR

WHY THEY HAVEN'T EVEN YET BUILT THE SACRE COEUR .

 

BUT SAINT DENIS WAS A MAN WHO WOULDN'T BARTER

BECAUSE HE WAS BORN TO BE A MARTYR.

OK, SINCE YOU HAVEN'T HEARD A WORD WE HAVE SAID

WE HAVE NO CHOICE BUT TO CUT OFF YOUR HEAD.

 

TAKE OFF MY HEAD - IF YOU WILL

I'LL PICK IT UP AND WALK AWAY STILL.

 

THE FIRST THING THE HEADLESS SAINT DENIS DID, IT'S SAID

WAS TO CAREFULLY BRUSH OFF AND CLEAN HIS HEAD.

THIS MAY TO SOME PEOPLE SEEM REDICULOUS

BUT TO BE A SAINT, ONE MUST BE METICULOUS.

 

HE THEN PROCEEDED TO CARRY IT

A FULL FOUR MILES AND THEN A BIT.

WHEN LATER ASKED HOW HE ACTUALLY DID IT

HE SAID THAT WHEN SAINTS HIKE

THEY ARE MOVED BY THE SPIRIT.

 

AND THEN WITHOUT A GROAN OR A SOUND

HE PLACED HIS HEAD CALMLY ON THE GROUND.

THIS WAS THE PLACE WHERE LATER KING DAGOBERT

WOULD BUILD SAINT DENIS ABBEY AROUND.

AND ON THIS GROUND IT IS STILL HEARD TO BE SAID

THAT LIBERTY, EQUALITY AND FRATERNITY ARE NOT DEAD.

IN SUCH IMPORTANT MATTERS HE TOOK NO CHANCE

AND TODAY SAINT DENIS IS PATRON SAINT OF FRANCE

BUT ARTISTS STILL HAVE NO WAY TO KNOW

WHERE TO PLACE HIS OWN HALO.