MAP
#89
II.
Featured Poetry Theme: Silver Screen - poems inspired by movies
1.
Synopsis by Chuck Rice
He
must break our hearts
with
death
prick
them with darkness
that
we may bleed life and light
cast
aside the painted props
of
earth and time
shuck
the flesh from our souls
like
so much husk from new corn
strip
us selfless
lay
us adrift
upon
the waters of eternity
that
we may begin
to
understand
the
giving
of
love.
It
is with the swift hand
of
change that life
has
shaped me most
molded
contours
in
the face of my heart.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
2.
On the Movie Set by Michael Brown
I
died this morning and lay all afternoon
across
a table top in the middle of a TV show,
and
I thought of Joe DiMaggio covering
the
largest center field in the American League,
so
smooth in action, so awkward offstage.
A
cigaret fiend under the stands, Joltin' Joe
at
the plate, the Yankee Clipper sailing the bases.
The
man who never dove for a fly ball
because
he was always there.
In
his outfield there were no Texas leaguers
or
power alleys. The greatest hitters
were
satisfied with sacrifice.
When
Joe's Achilles tendon killed his career,
he
stretched his reputation across the country
in
professional death, and the most vibrant
star
in the firmament fell into his ungloved hand.
Crossing
the foul line to the home side
she
slipped from Joe's grasp,
and
his only error became a national tragedy.
The
last movie star burned out,
the
last major leaguer caught off base,
and
television buying all the talent available
to
entertain us across the country.
No
one has been so completely safe
or
so definitely out since then.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
3.
Dancing With The Devil In The Pale Moonlight by Joseph Powell
Bats
in the belfry
A
joker in the deck
Damsel
in distress
Gotham
City in a wreck
And
we dance to the song of a prince.
Souls
in conflict
Symbol
of good vs. symbol of evil
A
dark knight, a laughing clown
Who
will save the people?
As
we dance to the song of a prince.
The
pale moon glances
At
lovers in their trances
At
those who take their chances
With
passionate romances
Shall
we dance to the song of a prince?
As
the moon makes it rise
Amidst
the glistening skies
I
see a man alone, standing in black
All
is well in Gotham City
And
with a woman sitting pretty
Who
dares to fall in love with a bat.
The
pale moonlight does funny things to you
When
you dance to the song of a prince.
Long
may they dance to the song of a Prince!
©
1989 Joseph Powell
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
4.
Notice by Stazja
I
wanted to tell you everything
reveal
myself in unabridged audition
for
your eternal attention,
a
zealous immortal ingenue
jealous
of earthly time and space
and
material interventions.
Like
a choir of angels I crooned my way
from
curtained wings to center stage.
I
played a coiled and convoluted
cast
of captivating characters
like
Valle
playing
Olga
playing
Joan of Arc
in
Miracle of the Bells.
I
wanted to tell you everything
but
you
already
knew.
©
1998 stazja