The Night Watch

Depicted in their prime
The watch before the city gates
They make their entrance one by one
Still living through the painter's hand
And so the pride of little men
The artist knew their faces well
Our country racked with Spanish wars
Defenders of that way of life
Guitar lessons for the wife

His creditors and councilors
And quiet reigns behind our doors
And Dutch respectability
The worthy captain
Upon the canvas dark with age
We think about posterity again
Official moments of the guild

The smell of paint, a flask of wine
And his squad of troopers standing fast
The husbands of his lady friends

Now comes a chance to find ourselves
So many years, we suffered here

300 years have passed
The redbrick home, the bourgeoisie
The city fathers frozen there

In armor bright, the merchant men
And turn those faces all to me
The blunderbuss and halberd-shaft
The burghers, good and true
In poses keen from bygone days
That golden light all grimy now